stop the porn

[pllshot2000]

ever since Ive dowloaded windows xp, I ve been deluged
with messages from various porn sites. how do i block all
meassages from routinely interrupting me?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

ever since Ive dowloaded windows xp, I ve been deluged
with messages from various porn sites. how do i block all
meassages from routinely interrupting me?

You downloaded Windows XP? That could be your problem, it's probably
illegal and a modified hacked version.

*grin* I know - you probably meant "ever since I installed/upgraded to
Windows XP.."

Simply put..
- Turn on your firewall/install a third party one.
- Use software to search for and remove spy/ad/mal-ware.
- Use and keep updated a good antivirus software.
- Uninstall any unnecessary/unwanted software.
- Clean out your Internet Explorer cache.
- Keep Windows XP patched with at least the Critical Updates.


Quicklink to get more links to free software/help on these things:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/security/


Some more detailed advice on each of these:

-- Firewall --
To use your Windows XP firewall (only blocks INCOMING traffic), you should
look at the following web pages pages, which will show you how to turn it on
and how to configure it in special cases.

How to Enable XP's Firewall:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/itpro/securing/enableicf.asp

How to configure the different ports to allow services to work through the
firewall:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/ports.asp

As I stated, it ONLY protects you from INCOMING traffic. If you have a
trojan/worm on your computer sending your info to places you don't know
about - The XP firewall will not notify you of this.. You need something
like ZoneAlarm to do this.

ZoneAlarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

Kerio Personal Firewall
http://www.kerio.com/us/kpf_download.html


-- Remove spy/ad/mal-ware --
In order to do this, you have to use third party software (or spend a LOT of
time finding and removing all the garbage they put in manually.) Most
people choose the software methodology. The problem is that many of the
software packages people are exposed to are trying to take advantage of
them. Here are the ones that are not:

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/

Lavasoft AdAware
http://www.lavasoft.de

Hijack This!
(For browser Hijacks - also look into CWS Shredder)
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/

SpywareBlaster (to help prevent getting reinfected)
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

And Assortment of Others:
http://www.merijn.org/downloads.html


-- AntiVirus Software --
Updated antivirus software is essential to preventing future issues on your
computer. I personally prefer Norton (Symantec) AntiVirus, however, there
is nothing wrong with the free alternatives - given that you keep them ALL
updated!

Symantec AntiVirus 2004 (Inexpensive)
http://www.symantec.com/nav/nav_9xnt/

AVG Anti-Virus (Free and Inexpensive versions)
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php

-- Uninstall Unneeded Software --
If you don't use it, don't know what it is and no one else that uses the
computer regularly can tell you what it is - likely you don't NEED it
installed on your computer.
BE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS BEFORE UNINSTALLING IT!
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307894


-- Clean out your Internet Explorer cache --
Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to about
80-120MB. This can help you in many ways, and is just a good practice to
keep it from filling up your hard drive.

- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the
following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to
something between 80MB and 120MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents"
(the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes
or more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet
Explorer.


-- Keep Windows XP patched --
This is simple to do and well worth the time it takes. If you go to the
following web page:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

and scan your computer for updates and at least select and install each of
the Critical updates monthly - your computer is more likely to maintain
stability and security than if you did not do this.


Some other things I recommend to keep the computer running in tip-top shape
is to defragment your hard drive(s) at least once every 3 to 6 months, scan
it for errors at the same time, check occassionally for the latest drivers
for your computer (video card drivers, network card drivers, modem drivers
and sound card drivers in particular) and back up your personal documents,
spreadsheets, databases, pictures and so on often!

Good Luck!

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

When visiting such the sites be careful not to download/install
their "free" viewers.

There are at least three varieties of pop-ups, and the solutions
vary accordingly. Which specific type(s) is troubling you?

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

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

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?

2) For regular Internet pop-ups, you might try the free 12Ghosts
Popup-killer from http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/popup.htm, Pop-Up Stopper
from http://www.panicware.com/, or the Google Toolbar from
http://toolbar.google.com/, which is what I use.

3) To deal with pop-ups caused by any sort of "adware" and/or
"spyware,"such as Gator, Comet Cursors, Xupiter, Bonzai Buddy, or
KaZaA, and their remnants, that you've deliberately (but without
understanding the consequences) installed, two products that are
quite effective (at finding and removing this type of scumware) are
Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and SpyBot Search & Destroy from
http://security.kolla.de/. Both have free versions. It's even
possible to use SpyBot Search & Destroy to "immunize" your system
against most future intrusions. I use both and generally perform
manual scans every week or so to clean out cookies, etc.

You should also try using MSConfig to see if something is being
started each time you reboot.

Additionally, Look in the C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up and C:\Documents and
Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up folders, and in the
system registry, primarily in the
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run keys.

How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310560


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

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

First eliminate any scumware.
See
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

---------------------------------------------
To get rid of browser parasites and hijackers there are two FREE programs:

BHODemon and CWShredder.

If Spy-bot and Ad-Aware miss the scumware, perhaps these will guys will find
them.
--
FS.....
My Webpages:
http://www.heartoftn.net/users/windsong/index.html
"The emperor is naked!"
"No he isn't, he's merely endorsing a clothing-optional lifestyle!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

ever since Ive dowloaded windows xp, I ve been deluged
with messages from various porn sites. how do i block all
meassages from routinely interrupting me?

First eliminate any scumware.
See
Dealing with Unwanted Spyware, Parasites, Toolbars and Search Engines
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm

Note that AdAware and SpyBot S & D will each catch some things the other
won't. Also, each need to be updated before every use, even when just
downloaded. There's also a lot more to do than just those two programs.

If trying everything at that site does not fix the problem please post back
in the same thread.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/