Re: Unrelenting adware
From: Rosanne (93g2aah02_at_REMOVEsneakemail.com)
Date: 04/25/04
- Next message: roger: "Re: login security"
- Previous message: Jason Haynes: "Re: add a program to the top of the Start Menu"
- In reply to: Steve: "Re: Unrelenting adware"
- Next in thread: Betty: "Re: Unrelenting adware"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004 19:10:02 GMT
In article <KUMic.8379$en3.1656@edtnps89>, someone@here.now says...
> Mary Sauer wrote:
> > Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement Appears
> > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;330904
> >
>
> The short version:
>
> Go to Start, Run, type "services.msc" (without the quotes) Find
> "Messenger" on the list, double-click it, select to Stop the service,
> then select "Disable" from the drop down menu and click Apply.
>
> If you're referring to popups in Internet Explorer, I suggest getting
> Popup Cop from popupcop.com and installing that; it's shareware and it
> expires after... 10? 30? (can't remember how many) days, but it's
> worth investing in.
>
It sounds like Internet popups she's talking about. Especially when it
involves trojans routinely infesting her computer. Mary, Spybot Search
and Destroy is yet another free spyware/adware program, but with a
difference. You can set it to "Immunize", and it will automatically
BLOCK a lot of these. Not all - I run both Spybot and AdAware (free).
The paid version of AdAware has that option as well, I think. What I
also like about Spybot is that if it finds stuff it can't remove while
you're logged on, it asks you if you want it to do a preemptive strike -
run during startup, before the nasty stuff is launched, and clean it out
then.
Here's what I would set up:
1. Clean your system one more time.
2. Go straight to www.zonealarm.com and download their free firewall.
Install it. It's a pain for the first day or so, when it's learning
what you want to allow on your system, but then it's almost maintenance-
free. It not only stops the bad guys from coming in, it can keep your
poor deluded machine from calling out to them as well. That's one big
difference between that and the Internet Connection Firewall that came
with your machine. If you can't decide whether ZoneAlarm should allow
something on your system, say "No" (but not permanently) and see what
happens. At worst, you'll have to log out and back in to clear out the
"No".
3. Install a good antivirus program. I use AVG (the free version) and
have been happy with it. Update the virus definition files immediately
- the program may download with old ones. Set the program to update
these files automatically... frequently.
4. Go directly to the Windows Update site (there should be a link in
your Start menu) and make sure you have all of the Critical Updates.
There's a way to set THOSE to download automatically as well.
5. Clean your system again.
The "services.msc" fix mentioned previously WILL stop Windows Messenger
popups (the plain gray ones with black text), but it will do NOTHING
about the door you're leaving open into your system. If you're getting
these particular popups, they're a red flag that your system has at
least ONE open door (port), and probably several. The services.msc fix
will treat the symptoms, but not the disease. The trip to ZoneAlarm
will take care of most of that.
The absolute bare minimum for any machine on the Internet is a good
firewall, a good up-to-date antivirus, and having all Critical Updates
installed. There's no way to stop everything, and you still have to be
careful. Check things out - ask folks like you did here. There's a
wonderful post today from Benjamin Johnstone-Anderson in this newsgroup,
that you should also read. He explains more than I do here, and phrases
it better. :-)
Instead of copying his text, I'm just going to include the header info.
If you can't find it from that, holler.
Hope this helps!
~ Rosanne
Subject: Re: help me some one plz...
From: "Trafton" <traftonofjj2SPAM@yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <eGWvw4uKEHA.2024@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl>
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004 10:53:14 -0700
- Next message: roger: "Re: login security"
- Previous message: Jason Haynes: "Re: add a program to the top of the Start Menu"
- In reply to: Steve: "Re: Unrelenting adware"
- Next in thread: Betty: "Re: Unrelenting adware"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]
Relevant Pages
|
