Re: messenger service

Tech-Archive recommends: Speed Up your PC by fixing your registry

From: Bruce Chambers (bchambers_at_nospamcableone.net)
Date: 03/03/04 

Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2004 18:47:34 -0700

Greetings --

    I realize that you're trying to help, and that such an intent is
commendable, but please don't post potentially harmful advice.

    Disabling the messenger service, as that particular web site
advises, is a "treat the symptoms" approach to computer security still
that leaves the PC vulnerable to threats such as the W32.Blaster.Worm.

    The real problem is _not_ the messenger service pop-ups; they're
actually providing a useful service by acting as a security alert.
The true problem is the unsecured computer, and your only advice,
however well-intended, was to turn off the warnings.

    Equivalent Scenario: Pulling the battery out of a noisy smoke
detector instead of seeking and eliminating the source of the smoke
that set it off.

    The only true way to secure the PC, short of disconnecting it from
the Internet, is to install and *properly* configure a firewall; just
installing one and letting it's default settings handle things is no
good.

Bruce Chambers 

--
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"Grinder" <grinder@no.spam.maam.net> wrote in message 
news:Ot39vFCAEHA.1224@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>
> "chris" <plainsong777@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:0C751318-EDC4-420D-A35F-F5AF6D29FF95@microsoft.com...
>> I am new to XP and everytime im on the net i keep getting messenger
> service ads which to me are pop-up ads that arent hurting my 
> computer but
> are very irritating.  I have pop-up stopper pro and although it 
> blocks out
> all of the regular pop-ups from websites it doesnt stop these 
> "messenger
> service" ads.  does anyone know how to prevent this from happening 
> besides
> downloading another program?  is there a setting in windows that i 
> havent
> seen?  any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/docs/messagepopup/
>
>

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