Re: Messenger Service
From: Bruce Chambers (bchambers_at_nospamcableone.net)
Date: 05/28/04
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Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 13:40:43 -0600
Greetings --
You're welcome.
As time goes on, and stories like yours grow in number, I'm
becoming less and less impressed with Symantec's consumer grade
products. I had used, and recommended, Norton Antivirus and then
Norton Internet Security, for many years, on Win98, WinNT, Win2K, and
WinXP, all without any but the most insignificant of problems.
However, when my subscription to Symantec's updates for Norton
Internet Security 2002 came up for renewal last year (at a cost
substantially higher than the preceding year's subscription), I
decided to try less expensive solutions. I downloaded and installed
the free version of GriSoft's AVG
(http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php ) and the free version of
Sygate's Personal Firewall (http://smb.sygate.com/free/default.php ).
Both have proven to be easily installed, easy to use, and quite
effective. Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised to see a small
but very noticeable improvement in my PC's performance, once I'd
replaced the Symantec products.
You might want to think about doing something similar when your
current subscription expires.
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 "frustrated" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:1451001c444e1$d6061630$a601280a@phx.gbl... > Bruce, thanks for the information and links. last night i > looked at the ones that apply to Win2K, and then went to > work on my (already existing) Symantec firewall - with the > messenger service interrupting every few minutes, all the > while, of course. > symantec's test page (which was testing their own > product's protection) told me that everything was fine, in > each of three categories. i might have felt more confident > of that if the test page hadn't also included a message > saying the testing was incomplete in the three areas - and > definitely more confident if the messenger service wasn't > merrily doing its' thing, as well. > then i tried to configure my firewall to block those ports > you specified, but the (ambiguous) setup seemed to > indicate that they're already being monitored for the > inbound NetBIOS and inbound UDP. i tinkered a bit, and > seemed to reduce the frequency of the pop-ups (they had > started to come up every few mintes in the last several > days) without completely eliminating them. > finally i blocked all inbound NetBIOS, UDP, and TCP from > all ports (local and remote - the only option available). > so far, i've not gotten any more messenger service pop- > ups....and so far, i've been able to do the things i > normally do on the internet - accessing my usual "login > required" websites, downloading zip files, downloading > email thru outlook, etc. > so i guess we can count this venture a success. thanks for > your time and patience in explaining the situation, i much > appreciate it! > > >>-----Original Message----- >>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/communi > cate/stopspam.asp >> >>Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File >>http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm >> >> 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. 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 >> >> >>"frustrated" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote > in message >>news:13e8f01c4445d$93acf710$a001280a@phx.gbl... >>>i am running Win2K Pro on my home PC, not connected to a >>> network (and running MS Office Pro 2003, in case that >>> matters). the OS is running fine, no problems there. >>> i am using Symantec 2004 Personal Firewall, with the Ad >>> Blocker activated. it works great - except it does not >>> block ads that come thru on the Messenger Service. >>> >>> so my question is: is there a way for me to turn off > the >>> Messenger service on my system? if so, can somebody tell >>> me how - or where to find the instructions? and, any >>> pitfalls i should consider? >>> >>> TIA! >> >> >>. >>
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