Re: Web Popups
From: Skillman Hunter (acrobyte@cox.net)
Date: 11/14/02
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From: "Skillman Hunter" <acrobyte@cox.net> Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2002 02:05:03 -0800
The procedure I described below to "Disable Adding Channels" did NOT stop
my annoying Windows Channel popup window. It is showing up every evening
just as it always has.
I am running Windows 2000 Pro SP-3, not SP-2 as mentioned below.
I am still hoping for suggestions.
Skillman Hunter
"Skillman Hunter" <acrobyte@cox.net> wrote in message news:OZK1T4iiCHA.2812@tkmsftngp11...
> Sorry to tell this thread that turning off Messenger did not stop an annoying Ad window that pops up on my computer every day
about
> 5 pm - but not exactly at the same time.
> I use ZoneAlarm Pro and have all the 135/137/139 ports blocked and others as well and
> have the web site that issues the popup blocked. That doesn't stop it.
> Trend-Micro PC-cillin will block this web site's windows.
> But I stopped using PC-cillin for other reasons - it hangs up email.
> Reactivated Norton's antivirus but soon deactivated it for reason I now forget.
> I now use AVG (www.grisoft.com) now but that has no site blocking.
>
> The annoying window creates a record in the History folder, so I know the web site URL.
> (Sending them emails asking to desist has had no effect.
> Since the site is in Germany, I even translated the messages to German - to no avail.)
> The History URL is named "Windows Channels".
> I am running Windows 2000 Pro SP-2.
>
> At http://www.microsoft.com/windows/default.mspx I searched for "channels" and got 100 replies.
> The first one is "Disable Adding Channels". The key statement is:
> "If you disable this policy or DO NOT CONFIGURE IT, users can add channels to the Channel bar or to their desktop." (Caps are my
> emphasis.)
> This implies that the "user" is a local person, but apparently the feature can be accessed from outside because the MS Help notes
> says:
> "Channels are Web sites that are updated automatically on your computer according to a schedule specified by the CHANNEL
PROVIDER."
> At 5pm in my case.
> So this "Channels" feature allows outside folk to muck around with my system.
>
> There are literally hundreds of settings buried in Windows that can only be accessed via the MMC.
> Apparently many of these are activated by default and require MMC action to deactivate.
> One can speculate on the reasons Microsoft would leave these options "Active".
>
> To modify "Disable Adding Channels", I had to get to
> "User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages
> I had to open MMC and add the "Local Computer Policy" snap-in.
> This is done by selecting the Console menu and choosing "Add/Remove Snap-in".
> In the Add/Remove Snap-In" dialog, I clicked "Add..." to get a list of the snap-ins (about 30).
> I chose "Group Policy". This added an item named "Local Computer Policy" to the Console Root list.
> I clicked the +'s to get to the following item:
> Local Computer Policy\User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages.
> This is the path as noted in the MS Help note about "Disable Adding Channels".
> I selected the "Disable adding channels" and opened its Properties.
> The "Explain" tab describes what Channels do.
> At the Policy Tab, I changed "Not Configured" to "Disabled".
> I then had to save this console as Console1.
> It is not clear if I have to reactivate this console on each reboot or if the deactivation will automatically take effect on
reboot.
>
> At 5 pm tomorrow, I will await the arrival of the usual Ad popup.
> I will report the result of my venture into the MMC Group Policy snap-in.
> It is not clear if one has to reboot to get this MMC change to take effect.
> It never hurts to reboot Windows at least twice.
>
> Based on what I have read, the schedule for this popup is stored somewhere on my computer so my computer must be requesting update
> of the channel. I have not found that schedule yet.
>
> If anyone knows of a simpler way to disable Adding Channels or to alter the schedule, please let me know.
>
> Skillman Hunter
>
> "WB IT" <abuse@127.0.0.1> wrote in message news:3dc7e4a7_2@lon-news.intensive.net...
> > "Dean Hansen" <dhansen@cogsdale.com> wrote in message
> > news:cdfc01c284df$16c94da0$3bef2ecf@TKMSFTNGXA10...
> > > I'm not sure if this behavior is geographically isolated
> > > to Canada but we have been receiving many popup messages
> > > on machines not protected by corporate firewalls, like the
> > <snip>
> >
> > You don't need any rights to use net send, if you have messenger service
> > enabled on your machine, I could send you one right now.
> >
> > Just disable messenger or block the relevant ports 135/137/139.
> >
> > The only way to trace them is have a firewall that logs these attempts..
> >
> > Read the news this is not a new phenomnen, it's going on all around the
> > world and has been for a considerable amount of time.
> >
> > http://www.security-forums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1594
> >
> > http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/answerstips/story/0,24330,3374542,00.htm
> >
> > http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,55795,00.html
> >
> > --
> >
> > Shaolin - IT Systems
> > WB Ltd.
> > .: http://www.security-forums.com :.
> >
> >
>
>
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>
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- Next message: S. Pidgorny [MVP]: "Re: web security"
- Previous message: K Ananth: "Re: windows 2000 security"
- In reply to: Skillman Hunter: "Re: Web Popups"
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