Are these securities risks?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeff

Based on a recommendation from PCWorld, I downloaded and used Uniblue's free
"Quick Access Infobar Utility" that adds an information icon to the XP
taskmanager. I've downloaded PcWorld recommendations before that turned out
to have malware components. Is Uniblue's "Quick Access Infobar Utility" safe
to use or is it some kind of spyware, etc?

Similarly, is the process msmsgs.exe the "messenger service" that one is
advised to turn off because it allows malware to come in? (There are 2
"messenger" services in XP, one bad and one OK, and I get them confused with
each other).

Thanks.

Jeff
 
Messenger Service does not allow malware in.
But no firewall or an ineffective firewall could let undesired Messenger
Service ads in.
If a computer gets the Messenger Service ads, it is a problem with the
firewall and the firewall is what really needs to be fixed.
 
Thank you for the quick answer. I do have ZoneAlarm's firewall and it works
fine. I also use Firefox.

However, I'm still confused between the 2 Messenger services: MSN Messenger
and Windows Messenger. Which one is the bad one? Which one is the one
recommended to disable? Which is th one exploited by bad guys to allow
popups, etc in?

Would disabling both cause problems? What problems?

Jeff
 
I don't know that either is bad.
Very few use Windows Messenger since it is the oldest.
 
I guess you are not going to tell me <grin>

Since I believe I have no use for either messenger I disabled them both. No
use having them just taking up ram.

Jeff
 
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