Re: Messenger re-enables itself
From: Bruce Chambers (bchambers_at_nospamcableone.net)
Date: 09/21/03
- Next message: Nicholas: "Re: hackers"
- Previous message: Bruce Chambers: "Re: changing username of administrator to Administrator"
- In reply to: MilesG: "Messenger re-enables itself"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] [ attachment ]
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 12:13:04 -0600
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
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: http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once. -- RAH "MilesG" <mjgoldingNO@SPAMbtopenworld.com> wrote in message news:01ac01c3800c$dd608900$a001280a@phx.gbl... > I keep disabling Messenger in XP (Admin Tools/Services) to > stop these bloomin' popups, but it keeps re-enabling > itself. Which program does this? Can I stop it? > I see in XP Pro that you can edit gpedit.msc in Expand > Administrative templates/Windows components, but this is > not available in XP Home? > Regards > Miles
- Next message: Nicholas: "Re: hackers"
- Previous message: Bruce Chambers: "Re: changing username of administrator to Administrator"
- In reply to: MilesG: "Messenger re-enables itself"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] [ attachment ]
Relevant Pages
|
