messenger service

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Guest

Could someone with some pc knowledge please tell me the idiot guide steps for
me to prevent my pc having messenger service pop up's. I did this once
before in a previous set up, before kids decided to mangle etc.

ta v much
 
In
Jay said:
Could someone with some pc knowledge please tell me the idiot
guide
steps for me to prevent my pc having messenger service pop
up's.
Click to expand...


Enable the Windows firewall, or better, one of the third-party
ones. You're running without a firewall, and such popups are the
*least* of the problems that doing so is likely to cause you.
 
Santa said:
I think it is
Controlpanel/administrative tools / Services../ Disable or Shop
Messenger
Click to expand...

I've just worked out who you are - you're Andrew the Eejit's ****witted twin
brother, aren't you? Your posts make just about as much sense.

The *ONLY* way to remove the messages is to secure the system. Turning off
the service does nothing more than remove the symptom. Crap analogy - a rash
is the external symptom of chickenpox but, in three days or so, it
disappears. Does that mean you're no longer contagious? Of course not. It's
an external symptom, just like the pop-ups are the outward sign of the real
problem - open ports. Installing a firewall, and instructing it to block the
offending ports is the only way to 'cure' the disease.
 
Jay said:
Could someone with some pc knowledge please tell me the idiot guide steps for
me to prevent my pc having messenger service pop up's. I did this once
before in a previous set up, before kids decided to mangle etc.

ta v much
Click to expand...


Simply put: Install and enable a firewall.

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

This type of spam has become quite common over the couple of
years, 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
swept across the Internet last year and the currently active Sasser
Worm. 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

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
 
Santa said:
I think it is
Controlpanel/administrative tools / Services../ Disable or Shop Messenger
Click to expand...



I realize that you're trying to help, and that such an intent is
commendable, but please don't post potentially harmful advice.

Merely disabling the messenger service, as you suggest, is a
dangerous "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 your only advice, however
well-intended, was to turn off the warnings. Was this truly 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've been, 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
 
in addion to a good firewall/ virus protector/ try going to www.grc.com
run the "shoot the messenger"/"unplug and pray" etc also you can have your
ports probed"shields up" to see if you are open to any threats.. i have used
this site many times with good results..
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp
here is a free firewall if you need it..as far as free ones go its one of
the best
 
Another Firewall software to look into is Sygate Personal Firewall.
They have a free download to try. I just installed this recently after
removing Norton Internet Security 2004(what a POS that app is). It really is
user friendly and I like the fact that when you open it from the Systray it
shows you with icons what services, apps are actually running. We use the
Enterprise version at work to replace BlackIce. I used to use ZoneAlarm,
but I didn't like the way it worked. To me it caused more headaches when
trying to connect to the Internet. It is more of a personal
preference....Hope this helps.
 
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