Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (
More info?)
Greetings --
This type of spam has become quite common over the past year or
so, 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 most definitely open to other threats, such as the Blaster,
Welchia, and Sasser Worms that still haunt 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
If you're using AOL, you'll either need to find a 3rd party
firewall that is compatible with AOL, or switch to a real ISP that is
compatible with the real Internet. This is because AOL is an on-line
content provider that ignores international Internetworking standards
in favor of its own proprietary products, and has deliberately made
its connection software incompatible with both WinXP's built-in
firewall and WinXP's Internet Connection Sharing feature. AOL's
proprietary connection applet is deliberately designed to preclude
your setting/adjusting any of its properties, to include
enabling/disabling WinXP's ICF and ICS.
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. They may mean well and
simply be "uniformed," or they may have a vested interest in keeping
as many PCs unsecured as possible. 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
"pretty_eyes" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E0D94148-FB21-405A-B11B-46DF6F678B5B@microsoft.com...
> Hi.
>
> I'm brand new to XP and have a couple of questions. How do I turn
off the pop ups that appear on my screen sent from Microsoft? The top
says Messenger Service and the rest is an ad. Also, when I try to
download a file to my computer I get a box that pops up and says that
my computer will be shutting down. How can I change that as well?
Thanks ahead for anyones help.
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