Re: Unexpected adult content popping up

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

From: Bruce Chambers (bchambers_at_nospamcableone.net)
Date: 02/18/04 

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 20:13:50 -0700

Greetings --

    Please stop posting potentially harmful, and, in this case,
completely irrelevant, advice.

    Disabling the messenger service, as you advise, is a "head in the
sand" approach to computer security 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 you're only
advice, however well-intended, was to turn off the warnings. How is
this helpful?

    Equivalent Scenario: You over-exert your shoulder at work or
play, causing bursitis. After weeks of annoying and sometimes
excruciating pain whenever you try to reach over your head, you go to
a doctor and say, while demonstrating the motion, "Doc, it hurts when
I do this." The doctor, being as helpful as you are, replies, "Well,
don't do that."

    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. Unfortunately, this does require one to learn a little bit more
about using a computer than used to be necessary.

Bruce Chambers 

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"Paul Moat" <pmoat@optonline.com> wrote in message 
news:%233e$Yab9DHA.1636@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> I've also read in several places that you should disable the 
> 'messenger'
> service that runs by default in XP.  This is not the Instant 
> Messenger but a
> program that listens for network alerts and pops them up on your 
> screen.  Go
> to control panel, administrative tools, services, and look for the 
> messenger
> thing on there and disable it.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Anybody have a spybot worm?
    ... to computer security that leaves the PC vulnerable to threats such as ... is to install and *properly* configure a firewall; ... > For me going nuts is a short trip, ... If you don't need the messenger service (not ...
    (microsoft.public.security.virus)
  • Re: How to remove messenger service window?
    ... It gives you the ability to have a desktop icon that you can use to toggle messenger ON and OFF. ... The true problem is the unsecured computer, and your only advice, however well-intended, was to turn off the warnings. ... 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. ... Perhaps you should read what real computer security specialists have to say about Steve Gibson's "security" expertise. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Internet pop-ups
    ... but please don't post potentially harmful advice. ... symptoms" approach to computer security still that leaves the PC ... is to install and *properly* configure a firewall; ... > (NOT MSN/Windows Messenger) service. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: how do I tirn off messenger service pop ups
    ... Merely disabling the messenger service, as you suggest, is a dangerous "head in the sand" approach to computer security that leaves the PC vulnerable to threats such as the W32.Blaster, W32.Welchia, and W32,Sasser worms. ... The true problem is the unsecured computer, and your only advice, however well-intended, was to turn off the warnings. ... 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. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Instant messager service
    ... but please don't post potentially harmful advice. ... sand" approach to computer security that leaves the PC vulnerable to ... is to install and *properly* configure a firewall; ... > then double click Messenger and set it to Disabled. ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.general)