Re: THE CORRECT (AND ONLY) WAY TO DEAL WITH MESSENGER SERVICE POP-UPS. DON'T LISTEN TO JK - OR ANYONE ELSE!!
From: Fred (Fred_at_no.Spam)
Date: 03/30/04
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Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 06:29:46 -0800
Then why is Microsoft turning off Messenger Service by default in XP SP2 and
future releases?
"Cerridwen" <cerridwen@celticnet.com> wrote in message
news:ekqnnflFEHA.624@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> The *CORRECT* (and *only*) way to deal with these is below: -
>
> Turning off the messenger service is an incredibly
> stupid, idiotic and foolish thing to do. It has no bearing on messenger in
> any way, shape or form. The Messenger Service is what spammers exploit to
> shove porn at you. Read on to learn why disabling it is a bad idea.
>
> If the Messenger service is stopped, messages from the Alerter service
> (notifications from your antivirus software, for example) are not
> transmitted. If the Messenger service is turned off, any services
> that explicitly depend on the Messenger service do not start, and an error
> message is logged in the System event log. For this reason,
> Microsoft strongly recommends that you install a firewall and configure it
> to
> block NetBIOS and RPC traffic instead of turning off the Messenger
> service.
>
> And to think that JK speaks for MS and yet he directly contravenes their
> advice!! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!!
>
> Do the title bars of these pop-ups read "Messenger Service?"
>
> This particular "sales method" is strikingly similar to the
> "protection" rackets offered to small businesses by organized
> criminals. Yes, it's a scam; no reputable business would need to
> resort to extortion. Particularly since they're trying to sell you a
> type of protection that is already available to you free of charge.
>
> This type of spam has become quite common over the past few
> 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. Install and use a decent,
> properly configured firewall. (Disabling the messenger service, as
> some people recommend, only hides the symptom, and does nothing to
> secure your machine.) And ignoring or just "putting up with" these
> messages and the problem they represent 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/communicate/stopspam.asp
>
> Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
> http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
>
> Oh, and be especially wary of people who advise you to do nothing
> more than disable the messenger service. Disabling the messenger
> service 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 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?
>
> Equivalent Scenario 1: Somewhere in a house, a small fire starts,
> and sets off the smoke alarm. You, not immediately seeing any
> fire/smoke, complain about the noise of the smoke detector, and are
> advised to remove the smoke detector's battery and go back to sleep.
>
> Equivalent Scenario 2: 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 some of your respondents,
> replies, "Well, don't do that."
>
> I think that the people deliberately posting such
> bad advice are hacker-wannabes who have no true interest in helping
> you secure your system, but would rather give you a false sense of
> security while ensuring that your computer is still open to
> exploitation.
>
> Therefore, if Bruce is correct, JK is a hacker. Would you take advice from
> someone whose only interest is damaging your system and compromising your
> online safety?!
>
>
> Don't install NAV - it has a nasty habit of screwing up other things (like
> parts of Office for example).
>
> How JK became a MVP is one of the mysteries of the Universe. I hope that,
> come the next review, he's stripped of his title as he's done nothing
> (that
> I can see) to merit it. Unfortunately, that review is still 6 months away.
> Until then, heed this warning and heed it well - DON'T LISTEN TO JK OR YOU
> WILL END UP REGRETTING IT!
>
>
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