unwanted popup ad

[john simpson]

I performed a wide range of microsoft updates; one result
has been receiving a continuous popup ad which offers to
sell me a software to stop popup ads--I have a dsl
connection, and the ad comes through whether I am using
an internet connector or not. How do I stop this
annoying practice--writing an e-mail to their tech did no
good whatsoever.

[Perdita X. Nitt]

john simpson wrote:
> I performed a wide range of microsoft updates; one result
> has been receiving a continuous popup ad which offers to
> sell me a software to stop popup ads--I have a dsl
> connection, and the ad comes through whether I am using
> an internet connector or not. How do I stop this
> annoying practice--writing an e-mail to their tech did no
> good whatsoever.

Shamelessly 'plagiarised' from Bruce Chambers - who explains things more
eloquently than I ever could!


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. Install and use a decent,
properly configured firewall. (Disabling the messenger service, as
some people recommend, only hides the symptom, and does nothing to
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 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 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.



--
Perdita X. Dream

Please help us to help you
http://groups.google.com
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Please note that the reply address is fake.
Keep all posts to the groups as private requests for assistance
(i.e. email/IM) cannot be acknowledged. Thank you.

[Michael Leon [MSFT]]

I recommend you get freeware called Spybot. It checks your hard drive,
Windwos et al. for this kind of crap to at least prevent them from profiting
from info gathered from your computer. There are also several pop-up killer
programs out there offered as Freeware like Pop-Up Stopper 3.01, and
SpamCatcher.

good luck!

- me


"john simpson" <sim_bets@yahoolcom> wrote in message
...
> I performed a wide range of microsoft updates; one result
> has been receiving a continuous popup ad which offers to
> sell me a software to stop popup ads--I have a dsl
> connection, and the ad comes through whether I am using
> an internet connector or not. How do I stop this
> annoying practice--writing an e-mail to their tech did no
> good whatsoever.

[Perdita X. Nitt]

Michael Leon [MSFT] wrote:
> I recommend you get freeware called Spybot. It checks your hard drive,
> Windwos et al. for this kind of crap to at least prevent them from
> profiting from info gathered from your computer. There are also
> several pop-up killer programs out there offered as Freeware like
> Pop-Up Stopper 3.01, and SpamCatcher.
>
> good luck!
>
> - me
>
>
> "john simpson" <sim_bets@yahoolcom> wrote in message
> ...
>> I performed a wide range of microsoft updates; one result
>> has been receiving a continuous popup ad which offers to
>> sell me a software to stop popup ads--I have a dsl
>> connection, and the ad comes through whether I am using
>> an internet connector or not. How do I stop this
>> annoying practice--writing an e-mail to their tech did no
>> good whatsoever.

What's this?! Someone who claims to work for MS who doesn't recognise the
description of messenger service exploitation when he sees it?! Pop Up
Killer isn't going to stop him receiving messenger service advertising!

--
Perdita X. Dream

Please help us to help you
http://groups.google.com
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Please note that the reply address is fake.
Keep all posts to the groups as private requests for assistance
(i.e. email/IM) cannot be acknowledged. Thank you.

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Maybe he's a janitor. ;-}

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


"Perdita X. Nitt" > wrote in message
...
>
> What's this?! Someone who claims to work for MS who doesn't
recognise the
> description of messenger service exploitation when he sees it?! Pop
Up
> Killer isn't going to stop him receiving messenger service
advertising!
>
> --
> Perdita X. Dream
>
> Please help us to help you
> http://groups.google.com
> http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> Please note that the reply address is fake.
> Keep all posts to the groups as private requests for assistance
> (i.e. email/IM) cannot be acknowledged. Thank you.
>
>
>
>

[PCyr]

PMSL - I hope not.

--
Check out http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com for amazing tweaks and fixes

Member of "Newsgroups are for everyone"

Email address is fake to prevent SPAM.
Real email address is pcyr2000 AT hotmail DOT com
Change the obvious to the obvious.
------------------
"Bruce Chambers" > wrote in message
...
> Greetings --
>
> Maybe he's a janitor. ;-}
>
> 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
>
>
> "Perdita X. Nitt" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > What's this?! Someone who claims to work for MS who doesn't
> recognise the
> > description of messenger service exploitation when he sees it?! Pop
> Up
> > Killer isn't going to stop him receiving messenger service
> advertising!
> >
> > --
> > Perdita X. Dream
> >
> > Please help us to help you
> > http://groups.google.com
> > http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> > http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> > Please note that the reply address is fake.
> > Keep all posts to the groups as private requests for assistance
> > (i.e. email/IM) cannot be acknowledged. Thank you.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>