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I hate pop ups??? |
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| message from tessaburns on 11 Jun 2004 |
I'm having a problem with pop ups. I'm getting them when I'm not even on a
website. I believe that a program was unintentionally downloaded that is
causing this problem. If anyone else knows how to get rid of it or where to
find it, I would appreciate any help. apps5.oingo.com is the source of these
bombardments. I don't see anything in my program files that I do not
recognize. I've gotten 3 more while typing this message. HELP!!
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| Paul Fuggiasco replied to tessaburns on 11 Jun 2004 |
I'm not even on a
downloaded that is
of it or where to
the source of these
that I do not
HELP!!
pop up problems. The two programs are: Ad-Aware and Spy-
Bot. We use both of the programs and clears them up.
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| Bruce Chambers replied to tessaburns on 11 Jun 2004 |
Greetings --
There are at least three varieties of pop-ups, and the solutions
vary accordingly. Which specific type(s) is troubling you?
1) Does the title bar of these pop-ups read "Messenger Service?"
This type of spam has become quite common over the past year or
so, 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 most definitely open to other threats, such as the Blaster,
Welchia, and Sasser Worms that still haunt the Internet. Install and
use a decent, properly configured firewall. (Merely disabling the
messenger service, as some people recommend, only hides the symptom,
and does little or nothing to truly secure your machine.) And
ignoring or just "putting up with" the security gap represented by
these messages 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
If you're using AOL, you'll either need to find a 3rd party
firewall that is compatible with AOL, or switch to a real ISP that is
compatible with the real Internet. This is because AOL is an on-line
content provider that ignores international Internetworking standards
in favor of its own proprietary products, and has deliberately made
its connection software incompatible with both WinXP's built-in
firewall and WinXP's Internet Connection Sharing feature. AOL's
proprietary connection applet is deliberately designed to preclude
your setting/adjusting any of its properties, to include
enabling/disabling WinXP's ICF and ICS.
Whichever firewall you decide upon, be sure to ensure UDP ports
135, 137, and 138 and TCP ports 135, 139, and 445 are _all_ blocked.
You may also disable Inbound NetBIOS (NetBIOS over TCP/IP). You'll
have to follow the instructions from firewall's manufacturer for the
specific steps.
You can test your firewall at:
Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/vr_main.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=GPVHGBYNCJEIMXQKCDT
Security Scan - Sygate Online Services
http://www.sygatetech.com/
Oh, and be especially wary of people who advise you to do nothing
more than disable the messenger service. Disabling the messenger
service, by itself, 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, if annoying, 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?
2) For regular Internet pop-ups, you might try the free 12Ghosts
Popup-killer from http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/popup.htm, Pop-Up Stopper
from http://www.panicware.com/, or the free Google Toolbar from
http://toolbar.google.com/, which is what I use.
3) To deal with pop-ups caused by any sort of "adware" and/or
"spyware,"such as Gator, Comet Cursors, Xupiter, Bonzai Buddy, or
KaZaA, and their remnants, that you've deliberately (but without
understanding the consequences) installed, two products that are
quite effective (at finding and removing this type of scumware) are
Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and SpyBot Search & Destroy from
www.safer-networking.org/. Both have free versions. It's even
possible to use SpyBot Search & Destroy to "immunize" your system
against most future intrusions. I use both and generally perform
manual scans every week or so to clean out cookies, etc.
Bruce Chambers
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| Miss Perspicacia Tick replied to Teddy on 12 Jun 2004 |
Why? You don't even know what condescending means! Suggest you refrain from
using big words in the future and stick to Janet and John.
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| Chuck replied to tessaburns on 11 Jun 2004 |
How current is your virus protection? Try these free online virus scans:
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp
Now check for, and learn to defend against, additional carriers of infection.
Have you downloaded these programs before? Download them again, as the latest
version may be needed to keep up with the current level of malware being
attempted constantly - get the absolutely most current version of each product
listed. They're all free - and most pretty small, so they download quickly
enough.
First, download LSP-Fix and WinsockXPFIx from http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm ,
and CWShredder from http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html . All are
free.
Next, close all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows, then run CWShredder.
Have it fix all variants.
Now check for, and remove, spyware. Get HijackThis
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155 and Spybot S&D
http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download . Both free.
1) Install and run Spybot. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a
scan ("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and make all recommended deletions.
2) Install and run HijackThis. Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log. http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227
3) Have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the following
forums (and post it, or a link to your forum post, here):
http://forums.net-integration.net/
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/
If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.
And please don't contribute to the spread and success of email address mining
viruses. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself a bit
safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - never post your address unmunged.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
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