Beware of a New Kind of Pop-up SPAM Ad

If you are on DSL and/or CABLE Internet Service

[Terri]

Before you spend a lot of money as I did in an attempt
to END Spam Ads that just popped up like official
Microsoft menu messages with TRASH on it -- everything
from Singles Clubs to buying Viagra without prescription,
to Porno sites and fast mortgages while you are believing
you are privately working on your programs OFF the
URL of any INTERNET -- try this first -- it was the only
thing that worked -- not the anti Ad-Aware --not the
McAfee pop up ad software eliminator (that one works great while on the actual Internet -- but not in your private workshop of programs) --

Go to START (this is concerning MICROSOFT SOFTWARE,
XP) -- go to RUN -- type in MSCONFIG in the menu that
appears -- when another menu appears -- go to the SERVICE TAB -- scroll to MESSENGER and UNCHECK the CHECK there.

Magic -- no more POP UP UNWANTED MESSAGES --

My son explained to me that when we who are on Cable
or DSL are on the INTERNET full time whether we are
on Internet Explorer direct or not -- that is why we
are subject to attack by these kind of ads.

I hope this is helpful information. I was becoming so
upset, and felt so helpless -- and I don't want that to
happen to any of you. We should share all the information
we can to end "They and Them" of INTRUSION in PRIVACY.

Terri

[bobriggs]

Just another open port.

See: www.grc.com to check if you're vully.

This is what Ralsky has been planning for a while, there'll be a wave of it as soon as the software becomes more available.
[freep.com...]
(near bottom of article)

[Slade]

"Just open another port"?
What's that supposed to mean?

I saw this program advertised a few weeks ago. It takes advantage of the built in windows messenger service.

Take this as a really good reason to go to <insert local tech hardware store here> and purchase a real live hardware firewall/router.

Note: If you commonly get messages from your SYSAdmin, or someone else on your LAN via this service, (also maybe printjobs, etc) you should NOT deactivate the service. I am pretty sure this can be filtered at your corporate firewall.

[Mohamed_E]

This was discussed on this forum [webmasterworld.com] about a week ago. Cure (turn off Windows Messenger) is pretty simple on a home computer, more problematic in an office environment where you may need the message capability.