Forum Moderators: phranque
I have a rule in my firewall (Norton Internet Security) to block messages to Microsoft messenger. I think the rule is working as the logs tell me it gets fired quite a lot, and the ads seem to be successfully blocked.
However, every now and again, one of these messenger pop-up ads sneeks through, with no record in the logs. Does anyone know how to block them using Norton Internet Security on a Windows XP platform, or could anyone throw any light on the matter? I don't think turning off Microsoft messenger will do it, as it may not be Microsoft messenger messages (As I say, I think messages to that are already being blocked).
The really irritating thing is that most of the ads that are coming through are things like:
"There is only one way to block this new sort of advertising... Visit our website to find out about our PopupBarrier product ..."
Thanks
Shawn
Not sure about configuring NIS to stop them, but if you've got SP1 for XP, then I believe it has an inbuilt firewall. Right click on your network connection, properties, advanced, and then enable it (haven't tried it but it seems a bit drastic to me)
I got rid of it on my 2000 box by disabling the messenging 'service'. You should be able to do that in XP also (I don't use XP so can't really help, but in 2000 you get there by right clicking 'my computer' and going into 'manage'. Go to the services folder, and in the right pane look for the service called 'messenger'. Go into it and stop it.) So far no ill-effects from doing this a month ago.
<edit> just found the XP instructions </edit>
Click Start, and then click Control Panel (or point to Settings, and then click Control Panel).
Double-click Administrative Tools.
Double-click Services.
Double-click Messenger.
In the Startup type list, click Disabled.
Click Stop, and then click OK.
(same as in 2000 :)
As far as NIS is concerned, perhaps someone else here can help.
Good luck,
2odd...
So I was wondering if any other similar 'messenger alert' service can be a target for this sort of spam. For example, I have various versions of Netscape installed, and when I installed them I stupidly just clicked OK so it installed all the default components, including "AOL Instant Messenger". Does anyone know if "AOL Instant Messenger" can be the target of these sorts of 'window pop-up' spam, and if so, how to configure the firewall to block them?
Have you dowloaded and run Adaware? (free spyware removal program)
do these mesages only appear with a browser open?
It still sounds like messenger to me it is at worth disabling it to see what happens - you can always restart if you wanted to later on. (although I dont know why you would want to)
DaveN
ShawnR, just out of curiosity, what kind of valid messages do you recve that you might miss? Are you on a corporate LAN? Do you use netsend or something?
And I assume that you've already blocked NetBIOS and UDP traffic on your firewall? You could try another firewall to see if that works, but as far as those messages targetting other services than messenger, I'm afraid I don't know.
2odd...
>> do these mesages only appear with a browser open
Hard to tell; I've almost always got a few browser windows open.
>> I assume that you've already blocked NetBIOS and UDP
Yes, inbound NetBios is blocked. Some UDP is blocked, but not all; depends on the higher layer application. For example, inbound DNS (which uses UDP as the underlying layer) is not blocked, whereas inbound UPNP (which also uses UDP as the underlying layer) is blocked. Would you recommend different?
Anyway, thanks for all the hints and probing questions. I've disabled and stopped messenger, and I'll see if that stops it over the next few days.
I will also run a spy removal program.
In the meantime, if anyone knows the answer to my question re 'AOL messenger' please post.
Thanks
Shawn
Nope. Only real recommendation has been to disable the messenger service.
I got rid of it on my 2000 box by disabling the messenging 'service'. You should be able to do that in XP also (I don't use XP so can't really help, but in 2000 you get there by right clicking 'my computer' and going into 'manage'. Go to the services folder, and in the right pane look for the service called 'messenger'. Go into it and stop it.) So far no ill-effects from doing this a month ago.
<edit> just found the XP instructions </edit>
Click Start, and then click Control Panel (or point to Settings, and then click Control Panel).
Double-click Administrative Tools.
Double-click Services.
Double-click Messenger.
In the Startup type list, click Disabled.
Click Stop, and then click OK.
(same as in 2000 :)
As far as NIS is concerned, perhaps someone else here can help.
[edited by: DaveAtIFG at 5:28 pm (utc) on Sep. 3, 2003]
[edit reason] Spliced another thread to this one, edited for coherency [/edit]
