Windows feature is a backdoor for spam

[rmcgoo]

I got Norton personal firewall- havn't gotten popups since, and slowly but surely all the banner ads are goin away as well

[Und3ertak3r]

The problem is PPL.. the "Messenger" that is being discussed is NOT MSN Messenger..
It is a feature in win2k and Xp.. or a Service that runs by defult.. It has bloody nothing to do with Popup Advertisements.. Covered already..
If you have Win 9x.. the service isn't there so dont panic..(michael737n you are refering to MSN messenger..DUH!!!)

.. If you have a firewall.. It may not be the answer..
Turn off the Messenger Service (if you don't know how.. use the link posted earlier to GRC.COM for the simple tool.. or do yourself a real favour and go to the bloody fantastic list at http://www.blackviper.com/index.html and learn something about services on your systems)

So .. Don't confuse Netsend Messenger "Popups" with Popup advertisement windows..
Don't confuse Netsend Messenger with Windows (MSN) Messenger

Also... this matter has been discussed before.. the artical is some reporter who has just discovered the problem.. WOW.
here are a couple that discuss Messenger Service
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ight=MEssenger
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ight=MEssenger
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ight=MEssenger
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...ight=MEssenger
And the list continues.. I have been turning the service OFF in customers computers for over 12mths..

Cheers

[Tiger Shark]

Undies:

The article started off:

an internal feature in personal computers using the latest versions of Windows, not to be confused with the MSN Messenger Internet chat program -- are being mercilessly exploited by spam "pop-up" advertisements.

My "Duh" was the very next message, and it was correct - firewall the bloody ports - you should never have them open to the world anyway!!!!!!

This spam starts with a connection to port 135 so sites with firewalls that block incoming connections to the Microsoft networking ports (135, 137-139, and 445) are immune from this spam.

Source: CIAC

The upshot: I wasn't confusing anything..... You have allowed the meanderings of the thread to confuse yourself by the look of it..... Old age?????

You've been "testy" of late old chap..... Everything ok?

[zigzag_8336]

If you are not on a network you don't need the messenger service so go ahead and disable it. Also this is only a windows 2000/XP problem and it is NOT a new problem and if you have AOL, they have already made a patch to disable this operation. It is not very hard to go into Administrative tools and disable it anyway.