Pop up Messages (6.0 xpsp1)

Topic

New Reply

Recently I have started to get a popup message (see attached screenshot) for “endads”. Would appreciate advice how to prevent this happeneing as it appears 2-3 times every session. I am not sure if it is related to a particular website or not. The top bar says messenger service but I do not have messenger installed.

I have Norton Internet Security, but this does not block the message.

Any help where to look would be appreciated

Thanks,

Simon

Reply | Quote

Replies

Hi Simon

Check out Anti Adware, Spyware, Hijack for an answer to your problem.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

Reply | Quote

Hi Simon

Check out Anti Adware, Spyware, Hijack for an answer to your problem.

Have a Great day!!!
Ken

Reply | Quote

In addition to all the very good suggestions in that star post linked, I’ve found that the free Panic Ware Pop Up blocker will knock down pop ups nearly 100% and I also use three pre-emptive spyware guards like Spysweeper, Spychecker, and Spyware Blaster, and I’m not even using Panic Ware’s app now. and I haven’t seen a popup in nearly a year, I don’t have anything in my notification area, and I don’t even get annoying notifications that a popup was blocked.

Another point is that I am getting the windows to open on sites that aren’t add pop-ups. If you use Panic Ware’s products, you may have to hit shift+ctrl keys to do that.

SMBP

Reply | Quote

In addition to all the very good suggestions in that star post linked, I’ve found that the free Panic Ware Pop Up blocker will knock down pop ups nearly 100% and I also use three pre-emptive spyware guards like Spysweeper, Spychecker, and Spyware Blaster, and I’m not even using Panic Ware’s app now. and I haven’t seen a popup in nearly a year, I don’t have anything in my notification area, and I don’t even get annoying notifications that a popup was blocked.

Another point is that I am getting the windows to open on sites that aren’t add pop-ups. If you use Panic Ware’s products, you may have to hit shift+ctrl keys to do that.

SMBP

Reply | Quote

This looks to me more like Windows Messenger, which can be disabled by this method.

Don’t forget that the Google Toolbar 2.0 has quite a good Popup Blocker feature!

Reply | Quote

A lot of people have been well satisfied with the Google toolbar’s option to popup block. It can give you some trouble bringing up some webcast small windows for MS once in a while–but not with most of them.

SMBP

Reply | Quote

A lot of people have been well satisfied with the Google toolbar’s option to popup block. It can give you some trouble bringing up some webcast small windows for MS once in a while–but not with most of them.

SMBP

Reply | Quote

This looks to me more like Windows Messenger, which can be disabled by this method.

Don’t forget that the Google Toolbar 2.0 has quite a good Popup Blocker feature!

Reply | Quote

For what it is what, that is not a “Pop-up” in the Google Toolbar sense, nor is that “Windows Messenger” per se. But leave it to Microsoft to name things very confusingly…

This is the “Messenger Service”. You can block these by disabling the Messenger Service:

Windows XP:

Right-click: ‘My Computer’ icon and select ‘Manager’
Open: Services and Applications
Open: Services
Open: ‘Messenger’ Service
Click: Stop button
Change ‘Startup Type’ to DISABLE
Click OK to close everything

There are several potential pitfalls to doing this — like some peripherals (printers) and some programs (anti-virus programs) like to use the Messenger Service to give you, eh, important messages.

Firewalls like NIS should block these — if it is set up correctly. Somehow you have allowed the Messenger Service to access the Internet — you have an OPEN port that is receiving these messages.

There are several “Port Scanner” sites out there that you can use to test for open ports. Also, MyNetWatchman did a lot of the initial investigation into this form of spam.

Reply | Quote

(Edited by d_rasley on 06-Nov-03 22:58. Looked up the list of sites listed in the complaint. Endads is actually licensed by D Squared to a company named Scintillant.)

Good news regarding Messenger spam: The FTC is going after one of the major spammers, D Squared, complete with court injunctions to have them stop immediately. Read the good news at FTC Obtains Order Barring Pop-up Spam Scam, Urges Consumers to Take Steps to Protect Themselves. They even have links from there to pdf copies of the complaint, injunction and other stuff at FTC v. D Squared Solutions.

Oh happy day!

Reply | Quote

(Edited by d_rasley on 06-Nov-03 22:58. Looked up the list of sites listed in the complaint. Endads is actually licensed by D Squared to a company named Scintillant.)

Good news regarding Messenger spam: The FTC is going after one of the major spammers, D Squared, complete with court injunctions to have them stop immediately. Read the good news at FTC Obtains Order Barring Pop-up Spam Scam, Urges Consumers to Take Steps to Protect Themselves. They even have links from there to pdf copies of the complaint, injunction and other stuff at FTC v. D Squared Solutions.

Oh happy day!

Reply | Quote

For what it is what, that is not a “Pop-up” in the Google Toolbar sense, nor is that “Windows Messenger” per se. But leave it to Microsoft to name things very confusingly…

This is the “Messenger Service”. You can block these by disabling the Messenger Service:

Windows XP:

Right-click: ‘My Computer’ icon and select ‘Manager’
Open: Services and Applications
Open: Services
Open: ‘Messenger’ Service
Click: Stop button
Change ‘Startup Type’ to DISABLE
Click OK to close everything

There are several potential pitfalls to doing this — like some peripherals (printers) and some programs (anti-virus programs) like to use the Messenger Service to give you, eh, important messages.

Firewalls like NIS should block these — if it is set up correctly. Somehow you have allowed the Messenger Service to access the Internet — you have an OPEN port that is receiving these messages.

There are several “Port Scanner” sites out there that you can use to test for open ports. Also, MyNetWatchman did a lot of the initial investigation into this form of spam.

Reply | Quote

I think it’s fairly easy to tame Popups and Popunders, but I’m sure it will always be a game of leap frog as to some of the hassles spyware can inflict and the people who push them are going to find more effective ways to get around the stoppers and the stoppers will get better. Microsoft has said they will add pop up blocking features to update Internet Explore with Win XP SP2.

SMBP

Reply | Quote

FWIW, this is not the usual JavaScript popup or popunder. This is done completely differently and has nothing to do with Internet Explorer. I don’t believe MS has come out and said they will try to stop Messenger Spam any time soon. In their last MSKB article on the subject, their response to the problem was… “get a firewall”. Something I think is right on the money.

Reply | Quote

Thanks.

I understood this[/b] is not the usual pop up pop under, but nonetheless, I wanted to note that MS is going to include anti-popup code in Win XP SP2. As to messenger service and it’s capacity for facilitating popup nuisances, besides turning it off now, MS recently announced that it will turn off messenger in SP2. I know anytime you use the dreaded “m” word around here there are some that get worked up as to which dial “m” for messenger, so from the Microsoft-Watch site:

“There are three different Microsoft products/technologies named “Messenger:” MSN Messenger, Windows Messenger and the Messenger Service. The recent FTC hearing resulting in a temporary injunction against a spammer involved the dreaded Messenger Service (not Windows Messenger). It’s also the Messenger Service, not Windows Messenger, that AOL is shutting off for its subscribers. And it’s this same service that Microsoft is promising to turn off by default as of Windows XP SP2. “The Messenger service is a data exchange mechanism for networked computers which is typically only used to manage networks in businesses. Our research has shown that it is not a service that consumer/home users typically use,” says a Microsoft spokeswoman. We’d agree with that; most consumers we know want it banished forever.”

SMBP

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the follow up and update!

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the follow up and update!

Reply | Quote

Thanks.

I understood this[/b] is not the usual pop up pop under, but nonetheless, I wanted to note that MS is going to include anti-popup code in Win XP SP2. As to messenger service and it’s capacity for facilitating popup nuisances, besides turning it off now, MS recently announced that it will turn off messenger in SP2. I know anytime you use the dreaded “m” word around here there are some that get worked up as to which dial “m” for messenger, so from the Microsoft-Watch site:

“There are three different Microsoft products/technologies named “Messenger:” MSN Messenger, Windows Messenger and the Messenger Service. The recent FTC hearing resulting in a temporary injunction against a spammer involved the dreaded Messenger Service (not Windows Messenger). It’s also the Messenger Service, not Windows Messenger, that AOL is shutting off for its subscribers. And it’s this same service that Microsoft is promising to turn off by default as of Windows XP SP2. “The Messenger service is a data exchange mechanism for networked computers which is typically only used to manage networks in businesses. Our research has shown that it is not a service that consumer/home users typically use,” says a Microsoft spokeswoman. We’d agree with that; most consumers we know want it banished forever.”

SMBP

Reply | Quote

FWIW, this is not the usual JavaScript popup or popunder. This is done completely differently and has nothing to do with Internet Explorer. I don’t believe MS has come out and said they will try to stop Messenger Spam any time soon. In their last MSKB article on the subject, their response to the problem was… “get a firewall”. Something I think is right on the money.

Reply | Quote

I think it’s fairly easy to tame Popups and Popunders, but I’m sure it will always be a game of leap frog as to some of the hassles spyware can inflict and the people who push them are going to find more effective ways to get around the stoppers and the stoppers will get better. Microsoft has said they will add pop up blocking features to update Internet Explore with Win XP SP2.

SMBP

Reply | Quote