Re: Messenger Service Pop-up dialog

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Lanwench [MVP - Exchange] (lanwench_at_heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmail.atyahoo.com)
Date: 09/06/04 

Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2004 10:50:30 -0400

Norton IS isn't doing its job properly, or you've inadvertently opened up
too much in it. 'Messenger spam' is not in itself harmful, but is
symptomatic of a larger problem - your computer has ports open from the
Internet.

You can disable the Messenger service, but that is unwise as a solution as
you'll still have the underlying problem that caused you to get the messages
in the first place - consider the messages a useful warning that you have
inadequate protection from the Internet. This is all too important now,
given the recent rash of RPC worms....never connect to the Internet without
a properly configured firewall in place, not even for a nanosecond.

For a home PC, you shouldn't allow *any* inbound traffic at all.

Ned wrote:
> I am 1) running XP 2002 SP 1, 2) have Norton Internet
> Security 2004 Installed, 3) subscribed to a DSL service
> provider. So far my system is secure against hacking.
> However, I sometimes get a pop-up window titled Messenger
> Service. The dialog announces a message purportedly
> from 'Microsoft Networks' about a Microsoft Security
> Bulletin. The dialog has an Okay button but I do not
> click it for fear of putting a virus or trojan horse
> program on my pc. I ignore the dialog and restart my
> pc. Is the Messanger Service part of XP services? Is
> there a way to disable the Messanger Service or disable
> thse pop-ups? Is this related to the Windows Messanger
> in the forum by that name?
>
> Thanks, Ned

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