Messages

[Beth D.]

My Aunt has recently been receiving Pop-up messages. At
one time I was also receiving these messages and when I
questioned my 'Computer Guy' at work he has me disable
some sort of Microsoft Messanger. I don't remember how I
did it, but does this sound familiar to anyone.

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Open Help and Support and search for "firewall". This will tell you how to
enable XP's built in firewall. If you have a valid reason not to use a
firewall, click Start, Run and enter SERVICES.MSC Locate the Messenger
entry and double click it. Set it to Stopped and Disabled.

However, the reason they can get to the Messenger Service (not to be
confused with Windows Messenger) in the first place, is that your internet
connection is not secure.

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/winmesspop.htm

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Associate Expert
ExpertZone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"Beth D." > wrote in message
...
> My Aunt has recently been receiving Pop-up messages. At
> one time I was also receiving these messages and when I
> questioned my 'Computer Guy' at work he has me disable
> some sort of Microsoft Messanger. I don't remember how I
> did it, but does this sound familiar to anyone.
>

[Thomas Wendell]

To just disable those "Messenger Service" -popups woulb be to treat the
symptoms, not the underlying disease...
So...

_First_, install a firewall (free ones available here and there, Sygate,
ZoneAlarm etc)
Then you can disable the Alerter service. (Start->Run->services.msc,
alerter, dblclick, disable)


--
Reply to group
=================================================
Most learned here on nntp://news.mircosoft.com
Helsinki, Finland (remove _SPAM)
(translations from FI/SE not always accurate)
=================================================




"Beth D." > kirjoitti viestissä
...
> My Aunt has recently been receiving Pop-up messages. At
> one time I was also receiving these messages and when I
> questioned my 'Computer Guy' at work he has me disable
> some sort of Microsoft Messanger. I don't remember how I
> did it, but does this sound familiar to anyone.
>

[Beth D.]

My Aunt only uses dial-up. Is a firewall necessary.


>-----Original Message-----
>Open Help and Support and search for "firewall". This
will tell you how to
>enable XP's built in firewall. If you have a valid
reason not to use a
>firewall, click Start, Run and enter SERVICES.MSC
Locate the Messenger
>entry and double click it. Set it to Stopped and
Disabled.
>
>However, the reason they can get to the Messenger
Service (not to be
>confused with Windows Messenger) in the first place, is
that your internet
>connection is not secure.
>
>http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/winmesspop.htm
>
>--
>Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
>Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
>http://www.dougknox.com
>--------------------------------
>Associate Expert
>ExpertZone -
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>--------------------------------
>Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
>Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

[Beth D]

My Aunt only uses dial-up. Is a firewall necessary.


>-----Original Message-----
>To just disable those "Messenger Service" -popups woulb=20
be to treat the
>symptoms, not the underlying disease...
>So...
>
>_First_, install a firewall (free ones available here=20
and there, Sygate,
>ZoneAlarm etc)
>Then you can disable the Alerter service. (Start->Run-
>services.msc,
>alerter, dblclick, disable)
>
>
>--=20
>Reply to group
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=

>Most learned here on nntp://news.mircosoft.com
>Helsinki, Finland (remove _SPAM)
>(translations from FI/SE not always accurate)
>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=

>
>
>
>
>"Beth D." > kirjoitti viestiss=E4
...
>> My Aunt has recently been receiving Pop-up messages. At
>> one time I was also receiving these messages and when I
>> questioned my 'Computer Guy' at work he has me disable
>> some sort of Microsoft Messanger. I don't remember=20
how I
>> did it, but does this sound familiar to anyone.
>>
>
>
>.
>

[Maureen Goldman]

>"Beth D" > wrote:
>My Aunt only uses dial-up. Is a firewall necessary.

Yes. You can use the built-in one that comes with XP, although other
outside recommended ones will do a more thorough job. The comparison
has been made to someone who mostly stays home versus someone out all
the time. When the stay-at-home goes out, she's as much at risk of
catching a cold as anyone else, but for a shorter period. And once
you've got it, you've got it.

I have a dial-up connection and I'm only using the XP firewall. It's
activated very easily by start button \ settings\ control panel \
network settings. Right-click your ISP name \ properties \ advanced.
Put a check in the box, ok, and that's it.

It's also a very good idea to run spyware detection utilities, like
Ad-Aware and Spybot, both freeware.

[Comp Guy]

The danger isn't *as* high, but it's still *too* high.

--
Please be polite.
------
"Beth D." > wrote in message
...
> My Aunt only uses dial-up. Is a firewall necessary.
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Open Help and Support and search for "firewall". This
> will tell you how to
> >enable XP's built in firewall. If you have a valid
> reason not to use a
> >firewall, click Start, Run and enter SERVICES.MSC
> Locate the Messenger
> >entry and double click it. Set it to Stopped and
> Disabled.
> >
> >However, the reason they can get to the Messenger
> Service (not to be
> >confused with Windows Messenger) in the first place, is
> that your internet
> >connection is not secure.
> >
> >http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/winmesspop.htm
> >
> >--
> >Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
> >Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
> >http://www.dougknox.com
> >--------------------------------
> >Associate Expert
> >ExpertZone -
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> >--------------------------------
> >Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
> >Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
>

[Comp Guy]

What would disabling Alerter do? The pop-ups use the Messenger service.

--
Please be polite.
------
"Thomas Wendell" > wrote in message
...
> To just disable those "Messenger Service" -popups woulb be to treat the
> symptoms, not the underlying disease...
> So...
>
> _First_, install a firewall (free ones available here and there, Sygate,
> ZoneAlarm etc)
> Then you can disable the Alerter service. (Start->Run->services.msc,
> alerter, dblclick, disable)
>
>
> --
> Reply to group
> =================================================
> Most learned here on nntp://news.mircosoft.com
> Helsinki, Finland (remove _SPAM)
> (translations from FI/SE not always accurate)
> =================================================
>
>
>
>
> "Beth D." > kirjoitti viestissä
> ...
> > My Aunt has recently been receiving Pop-up messages. At
> > one time I was also receiving these messages and when I
> > questioned my 'Computer Guy' at work he has me disable
> > some sort of Microsoft Messanger. I don't remember how I
> > did it, but does this sound familiar to anyone.
> >
>
>

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Your "computer guy" provided some very bad advice, and would be
better suited to flipping burgers at McDonalds.

Does the title bar of these pop-ups read "Messenger Service?"

This particular "sales method" is strikingly similar to the
"protection" rackets offered to small businesses by organized
criminals. Yes, it's a scam; no reputable business would need to
resort to extortion. Particularly since they're trying to sell you a
type of protection that is already available to you free of charge.

This type of spam has become quite common over the past few
months, and unintentionally serves as a valid security "alert." It
demonstrates that you haven't been taking sufficient precautions while
connected to the Internet. Your data probably hasn't been compromised
by these specific advertisements, but if you're open to this exploit,
you may well be open to other threats, such as the W32.Blaster.Worm
that recently swept over the Internet. Install and use a decent,
properly configured firewall. (Merely disabling the messenger
service, as some people recommend, only hides the symptom, and does
little or nothing to truly secure your machine.) And ignoring or just
"putting up with" these messages and the problem they represent is
particularly foolish.

Messenger Service of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;168893

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904

Stopping Advertisements with Messenger Service Titles
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp

Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Oh, and be especially wary of people who advise you to do nothing
more than disable the messenger service. Disabling the messenger
service, by itself, is a "head in the sand" approach to computer
security. The real problem is _not_ the messenger service pop-ups;
they're actually providing a useful, if annoying, service by acting as
a security alert. The true problem is the unsecured computer, and
you've been advised to merely turn off the warnings. How is this
helpful?

Equivalent Scenario 1: Somewhere in a house, a small fire starts,
and sets off the smoke alarm. You, not immediately seeing any
fire/smoke, complain about the noise of the smoke detector, and are
advised to remove the smoke detector's battery and go back to sleep.

Equivalent Scenario 2: You over-exert your shoulder at work or
play, causing bursitis. After weeks of annoying and sometimes
excruciating pain whenever you try to reach over your head, you go to
a doctor and say, while demonstrating the motion, "Doc, it hurts when
I do this." The doctor, being as helpful as some of your respondents,
replies, "Well, don't do that."

I'm beginning to think that the people deliberately posting such
bad advice are hacker-wannabes who have no true interest in helping
you secure your system, but would rather give you a false sense of
security while ensuring that your computer is still open to
exploitation.


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Beth D." > wrote in message
...
> My Aunt has recently been receiving Pop-up messages. At
> one time I was also receiving these messages and when I
> questioned my 'Computer Guy' at work he has me disable
> some sort of Microsoft Messanger. I don't remember how I
> did it, but does this sound familiar to anyone.
>

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Yes.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Beth D." > wrote in message
...
> My Aunt only uses dial-up. Is a firewall necessary.
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Open Help and Support and search for "firewall". This
> will tell you how to
> >enable XP's built in firewall. If you have a valid
> reason not to use a
> >firewall, click Start, Run and enter SERVICES.MSC
> Locate the Messenger
> >entry and double click it. Set it to Stopped and
> Disabled.
> >
> >However, the reason they can get to the Messenger
> Service (not to be
> >confused with Windows Messenger) in the first place, is
> that your internet
> >connection is not secure.
> >
> >http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/winmesspop.htm
> >
> >--
> >Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows XP/ Windows Smart Display
> >Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
> >http://www.dougknox.com
> >--------------------------------
> >Associate Expert
> >ExpertZone -
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> >--------------------------------
> >Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
> >Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
>