strange new aleart message

[ssahl]

lately I've been getting this new aleart message that pops up, this last time it came up while I was online playing a game, but I didnt even have a browser open. I know that I keep my security levels low, and I dont seem to be having any problems, but I was wondering if anyone else has seen this. I posted a pic of the window that pops up.

[BearEater]

Windows 2000 and XP has a feature called "Messenger"...dont get confuesed with Windows Messgener that works with hotmail/msn accounts. This Messgenger was for sending messages to networked PCs,but pretty useless...
Now this is used to advertie...more uselss.

go to Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services. Select Messenger. Right click,and Properties. In Startup type,choose "Disabled" and those messages will go away.

[RenegadeKing]

Go to Start..Run. Type in "services.msc"
Look in the list and find "Messenger". Double click it and in the drop down list choose "disabled". Reboot your computer. You should never get another message like that again.

edit:
Ahh, I was too slow. BearEater beat me to it.

[Xayd]

What you saw is ad spam as Bear mentioned, it's not a windows message and has nothing to do with your system's security.

[ssahl]

Yea, I was pretty sure it wasnt, but what bugged me was that the last time it happend, I didnt even have a browser open, and I use only the DUN to connect online. So the only things that were running were my direct dialup connection, and a game (Nascar Thunder 2003)
right in the middle of racing, I see that window flash real fast, when I was done with the race and closed the game, there was that stupid window, she's gone now, and I knew it couldnt be windows messenger too, that was like the very first thing I got rid of when I first installed winXP

[pointd]

Not wanting to step on anyone's toes here but whilst turning off the Messenger service hides the symptoms it doesn't cure the problem.

What is actually going on is that you have port 139 open and are receiving broadcast messages. What you need to do is install a firewall that will hide these open ports.

Go to Google and run a search for "firewall port scan" without the quotes. Use a couple of the sites it finds and you will have several ports open to anyone wishing to try and use them for access.

Install one of the many free firewalls around and try it again. You will find your ports are now closed or stealthed. Surely this is a far better solution.

www.zonelabs.com
www.sygate.com
www.agnitum.com

[ssahl]

that all depends on if it slows my already slow dialup connection to much. I really dont have anything on my computer that would bother me if someone got ahold of. I think you would be lucky to find my real name on it, no credit cards or online banking. I do have firewall software, along with anti-virus software too, but I feel that using them is more harm then good, of coarse if this were a business computer that would be compleatly different.

[RenegadeKing]

Originally posted by pointd Not wanting to step on anyone's toes here but whilst turning off the Messenger service hides the symptoms it doesn't cure the problem.

But in his case, the symptom IS the problem.

[pointd]

ssahl - I (and many others) can see no slowdown by running a software firewall.

RenegadeKing - The symptom is a popup message, the problem is open ports that should be closed/protected.

[RenegadeKing]

But his problem was that he was getting popup messages, and by disabling messenger, the problem is solved. Blocking the netbios port (139) doesn't really fix the problem further, although it could prevent other problems (such as unknowingly sharing his files over the internet).

[ssahl]

It would be real hard to unknowingly share any files on my computer over the internet, if for no other reason just by paying attention to the led send/receive lights on my modem. I know when data should and shouldnt be going to or from my computer. If I dont think that data should be coming or going I'll disconnect, or even unplug the phone cord right away. Just like when I would surf questionable sites years ago, and I would hear my modem hang up, and start dialing another #, put a stop to that before I ended up getting a $500 phone bill, or worse. Plus, the firewall would prevent me from accessing some web sites.

[pointd]

ssahl - It's up to you really. Personally I would use the firewall and it shouldn't stop you accessing any websites but the choice is yours.

RenegadeKing - We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I stand by what I said that disabling Messenger simply hides the problem and does not solve the underlying problem but you are obviously of a different opinion.

If ssahl is happy with the responses (which they appear to be) then we shall leave it at that.

[jaxson]

i did the scan yet it said every thing was blocked how was i still getting the same messages i have disabled messager so i hope thats all i need do but i would of liked to know how they got through hopefull there will be no more messages.

[ssahl]

ok, I checked out some of those sites and thought everyone would like to see the results, interesting to say the least. Here are some pics of the results to some of the web sites I checked out.

will have to reply couple more times as I guess only one attachment per post

[ssahl]

Please complete the message field.

[ssahl]

This one I thought was interesting, but I dont know how accurate it is, this is the same web site and the same scan but I ran it 3 times, once with Phoenix, once with Internet Explorer, and once with Mozilla. Kind of a rock, paper, sizzor thing.