Messenger Service

[senatorsfan9]

This stupid Messanger Service thing keeps popping-up on
my screen, sending 30 pop-ups at once! I paid good money
for this computer and it is pissing me off! How do I get
this to stop interrupting me?!?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;330904

Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

To secure your computer and prevent possible future security breeches,
consider installing a first-rate, comprehensive, internet security program:

Norton Internet Security 2004
http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/nis_pe/

-- Includes Norton AntiVirus 2004
-- Includes Norton Personal Firewall
-- Includes prevention of annoying web pop-ups
-- Includes Parental Controls
-- All in one, easy-to-install package

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| This stupid Messanger Service thing keeps popping-up on
| my screen, sending 30 pop-ups at once! I paid good money
| for this computer and it is pissing me off! How do I get
| this to stop interrupting me?!?

 

[Robert Moir]

This stupid Messanger Service thing keeps popping-up on
my screen, sending 30 pop-ups at once! I paid good money
for this computer and it is pissing me off! How do I get
this to stop interrupting me?!?

Turn on the XP Firewall that you paid good money for?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

This type of spam has become quite common over the past several
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 Blaster Worm that
recently swept cross 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" the security gap represented by these messages 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

Whichever firewall you decide upon, be sure to ensure
UDP ports 135, 137, and 138 and TCP ports 135, 139, and 445 are _all_
blocked. You may also disable Inbound NetBIOS (NetBIOS over TCP/IP).
You'll have to follow the instructions from firewall's manufacturer
for the specific steps.

You can test your firewall at:

Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/vr_main.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=GPVHGBYNCJEIMXQKCDT

Security Scan - Sygate Online Services
http://www.sygatetech.com/

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?


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



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

 

[Rick]

Turn off the Messenger Service . . . in XP go to the Control Panel, d-click
Administrative Tools, d-click Services. Scroll down until you come to
Messenger (Service), click once to highlight, right-click, select Properties
and in the dialog box, change Startup Type to disabled. Restart your
computer and those Messenger Ads wil be gone for good.

The Messenger Service serves no purpose outside of a networked environment
where some administrator needs to send pop up messeges to users . . . or
Spammers wish to sell you a products to stop those same messages they send.

Rick

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Please stop deliberately posting potentially harmful advice.

Disabling the messenger service, as you advise, is a "head in the
sand"
approach to computer security that leaves the PC vulnerable to threats
such as the W32.Blaster.Worm.

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're only
advice, however well-intended, was to turn off the warnings. How is
this helpful?

Equivalent Scenario: 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 you are, replies, "Well,
don't do that."

The only true way to secure the PC, short of disconnecting it from
the Internet, is to install and *properly* configure a firewall; just
installing one and letting it's default settings handle things is no
good. Unfortunately, this does require one to learn a little bit more
about using a computer than used to be necessary.


Bruce Chambers
--
Help us help you:



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