Well, I dont think im in trouble, but can anyone explain this???
http://img19.exs.cx/img19/967/Bah.jpg
Messanger keeps sending me messages like this..Is anyone else getting them??
There are a few that I get which say something about Spyware, and its really starting to get anoying.

Whatever you do, H, DON'T type that URL into anything! I highly, highly doubt this is anything from the official Microsoft center. Do you have a Firewall? Go to www.trendmicro.com and they do a free and very excellent online virus scan. But whatever you do avoid this "message" at all cost.

Hehe, yeh, I had no intention of going to the site, I figure if "MSOFT" arnt going to use their real name, then it isnt them. Thing is, as some of you can tell, I have Zonealarm pro installed which normally blocks these sorts of thing.

Hmm, and why would Microsoft use "WWW.UPDATENOW.ORG"??? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Thanks Albromor

i added a line to my "autoexec.bat"
the line is:
"net stop messenger"

this stops the net messenger service, which allows these popups to be sent/recieved.
you can just as easily do it through command prompt by typing it in as written above, and restart it by typing "net start messenger".

That should remove the problem, and yes sometimes zone alamr does let them through, because although za may by hiding your ip, some of these sending programs send to random ips without checking if the computer is online, as this one appears to do.

Its not MSN messenger that is sending these to you. Looks like some type of Phishing or Spyware/PopUp advertising. The website wants you to pay for a patch that you don't need.

Steps to take

1) update your virus defiantions and run a scan

2) Download Adaware and Spybot, update the definations and run a scan.

Adaware
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-...ml?tag=lst-0-1

Spybot

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html

These days you really need both as they both detect different things.

Let me know if you require further assistance.

Thanks T-D-C, I have dealt with spyware many, many, many, many a time and think I know how to get rid of this little annoying spyware, if thats what it is.
But thanks for saving me the trouble of finding those links, I thought I had Adaware and Spybot backed up, but obviously not...

Hmmm, just did a scan with adaware, and the second it finished, I got another...
http://img27.exs.cx/img27/9597/another2.jpg
Sorry about the size of the images, cant be bothered re-sizing them [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Looks like it's time to scam for spyware. I got those messages when my PC was full with it. And don't visit the site in the message ;)

I'm telling you it's not spyware, it's a remote system that's sending you the messages, and if you stop the messenger service it'll stop the problem.

hehehhe hivie, i like your desktop, i also noticed you have a picture with the title botd......, hahahah.

<span style="color: lightblue">And tell me, Luke, how would a remote system be able to find Jarrad? To use the messenger service, you have to be able to identify a computer to send it to - sending it to * doesn't look up ISP DNS. Windows might be insecure enough to make IPs publically available by default, and moreso if you use it's inbuilt firewall (the pre-SP2 one, atleast - not sure about the new one), but Jarrad has ZoneAlarm running.
Yes, it is coming through the messenger service, which is on by default (stupid as that is, since it is basically useless for anyone but a corporate userbase), and it allows these messages to come through past any firewall. Turning it off is a good idea, but it only solves the symptom, not the problem. The problem being, that something is broadcasting an IP address. Which points pretty much to spyware or a virus.

And, yes, this is phishing scams most definately. If you go to the address in the first one, it gives you a Microsoft security bulletin. It sounds semi-legit, in that it is worded kindof like an MS security bulletin, and it is an issue that could well be real. But, it has a few major doubting points - the colour scheme is like nothing from the Microsoft site, there is not Microsoft branding or logos about, and says you need to pay them to get the update. It also says to email support@msoftware.org about any questions.
And it gave me a price in AUD, even though the account I'm using is meant to be in Maryland, USA.

I am waiting now for an email from them with this patch, and I'll be able to see just how legitimate it is - although it definately reeks of either "pay us to give you a virus", or possibly another "let's pick on Microsoft" thing.