Popups for Anti-Popup Software

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fasteddie

Mastermind Talker
PF Member
Windows computer users are fuming over a new breed of pop-up ads with a dubious sales pitch: Buy our software, and protect yourself from pop-ups like this one!

The gray pop-ups, known as Messenger spams, are sent using special software that taps into a Windows feature designed to enable administrators to send messages to users on a network. Not to be confused with the MSN Messenger chat program, the Messenger service is enabled by default on Windows 2000, NT and XP systems, and can be exploited to blast out tens of thousands of pop-up ads per hour.

Advertisers use the technique, also known by spammers as "IP marketing," to hawk everything from weight-loss products to porn. But the most common product touted in recent Messenger service spams, users say, is pop-up blocking software.

"To me this is a form of blackmail. I'm surely not going to pay these people to quit sending me unwanted messages," wrote a user named Jim in a Microsoft security newsgroup.

"Damned if I'll buy preventative from the perpetrators," chimed another participant.

Many of the ads coax recipients to visit messengerkiller.com, saveyourprivacy.com or nearly a dozen other sites operated by San Diego-based D Squared Solutions. The sites sell Message Blocker pop-up blocking software for $30.

"This sales method is strikingly similar to the 'protection' rackets offered to small businesses by organized criminals," wrote one participant about D Squared's pop-ups in a discussion group for Windows XP.

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,60509,00.html
 
yeah, those were annoying before i got rid of them... it should be more publicized how to turn that feature off.
 
To disable the messenger service, select the control panel from your start menu. Click on administrative tools and then open up the services tool.

This will open a new window with a list of active/inactive local services on your computer. On the right panel, scroll down the list until you see the Messenger service. Right click messenger and select the Properties option.

Another window will pop up and about half way down it, you should see a service status section. If it doesn't already say that it is stopped, then click on the stop button. This will turn off the service, but will NOT prevent it from starting up again next time you turn on your computer.

To permanately disable the service, above the service status, you should see a dropdown box indicating the startup type. Click on the drop down box and choose the disabled option. Finally, click the OK button on the window.

There you go, no more annoying messenger popups! :)

By the way, just a word of caution. Unless you know what you are doing, you probably shouldn't go about enabling/disabling services on your computer. You may end up turning off an important service that your computer needs to function.
 
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