msn messenger and safety

Liss · 03-14-2004, 03:49 PM

Can I trust that my firewall (D-link DI-804 Broadband VPN Router) and Norton AntiVirus stop hacking into my msn messenger account?

I have heard that messenger is easy to hack into and just want to make sure that noone else than my friends can see my webcam or the files I transfer.

Thank you

3xp0 · 03-15-2004, 07:23 AM

Well if you don't trust your IM software, then just use something else like Trillian or whatever. It seems to be much safer at least from my experience.

Keesrace · 03-27-2004, 05:05 AM

If you are still a student, don't use Msn at school. That way you decrease the chance of being hacked with almost 100% (at least that is my experience).

mobo · 03-28-2004, 07:08 AM

You are never totally secure unless you unplug the network connection but as long as you have a hardware firewall and you have an additional software firewall you should think that the chances have minimalized a great deal.

EbolaRN · 04-04-2004, 07:57 AM

How do I know if I have a firewall set up? Should my computer have installed internet sevice using firewall automatically?

Also, I have a pest! When online via 56k, every 5 minutes a popup shows up. It's usually sexual in nature, but the weird thing is that sometimes it says"microsoft has detected a virus, click on the website below to fix." However, the blue color of the top of the windows is kind of light blue instead of the regular blue we've seen for years. And, the website isn't Microsoft! Hope this makes sense. I remember just before this, i received a message via yahoo messenger from someone i didn't know. I thought it was a friend, but found out it wasn't. In the bottom right hand screen (where small icons are), MSN messenger icon is there, but when I try to rid it, it says I cannot remove otherwise, I will have internet connecting problems.

Ad-aware nor Norton doesn't work. Gonna try spy bot, housecall.antivirus.com, and security.symantec.com to see if i can get rid of this.

Thanks all!

EbolaRN · 04-04-2004, 08:00 AM

I thought I was opening up a new thread! Can a moderator or myself make this a new thread?

kiri · 04-05-2004, 06:15 AM

No worries about making it a new thread. All those symptoms point to a common woe. Firewall and antivirus reliability.

What you have going on with your machine is a very common spyware driveby download. All you need to do to pick it up is to visit a dubious website. Porn, cracks, Gator, Kazaa (even light), to name a couple of peer to peer download sites. Personally I wouldn't touch Gator or Kazaa with a ten foot barge pole. But that's my opinion.

Getting rid of it? Delete ALL cookies (excl. index file) and temporary internet files.

Next go to the trendmicro.com site and scan your system. If it doesn't pick it up it isn't a virus. Just a nuisance.

Check that your homepage when loggin on is still set to the one you want. Then go to Control Panel>Add/Remove progs. Take a look in there for anything unusual or something you don't expect/need/want and remove it.

Don't forget to delete shortcuts via start menu and desktop.

Can't think of anything else right now without more info.

Good luck.

Cheers!

EbolaRN · 04-07-2004, 03:47 AM

OK, so got rid of all cookies...still there.
Downloaded/ran all antivirus programs...still there.
Tried windows fix and shazaam!...it detected a tricky spyware and allowed me to turn off MSN messenger. It hides in the msn messenger, yet, isn't a true virus. Good scare and am now happy. Thanks all for your help. If in doubt, let windows fix it. They are getting smarter everyday!

EbolaRN · 04-11-2004, 05:24 AM

Though...Control Alt Delete is still being utilized...**** windows

03-14-2004, 03:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
Liss Newb Techie Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1	msn messenger and safety Can I trust that my firewall (D-link DI-804 Broadband VPN Router) and Norton AntiVirus stop hacking into my msn messenger account? I have heard that messenger is easy to hack into and just want to make sure that noone else than my friends can see my webcam or the files I transfer. Thank you

03-15-2004, 07:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
3xp0 Junior Techie Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 81	Well if you don't trust your IM software, then just use something else like Trillian or whatever. It seems to be much safer at least from my experience. __________________ With respect, 00110011011110000111000000110000

03-28-2004, 07:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
mobo True Techie Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 221	You are never totally secure unless you unplug the network connection but as long as you have a hardware firewall and you have an additional software firewall you should think that the chances have minimalized a great deal. __________________ Security Tools \| Spyware Scan \| Prevention 101

04-04-2004, 07:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
EbolaRN Newb Techie Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 9	Firewall set up/working? How do I know if I have a firewall set up? Should my computer have installed internet sevice using firewall automatically? Also, I have a pest! When online via 56k, every 5 minutes a popup shows up. It's usually sexual in nature, but the weird thing is that sometimes it says"microsoft has detected a virus, click on the website below to fix." However, the blue color of the top of the windows is kind of light blue instead of the regular blue we've seen for years. And, the website isn't Microsoft! Hope this makes sense. I remember just before this, i received a message via yahoo messenger from someone i didn't know. I thought it was a friend, but found out it wasn't. In the bottom right hand screen (where small icons are), MSN messenger icon is there, but when I try to rid it, it says I cannot remove otherwise, I will have internet connecting problems. Ad-aware nor Norton doesn't work. Gonna try spy bot, housecall.antivirus.com, and security.symantec.com to see if i can get rid of this. Thanks all!

04-04-2004, 08:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
EbolaRN Newb Techie Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 9	oops! I thought I was opening up a new thread! Can a moderator or myself make this a new thread?

03-27-2004, 05:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
Keesrace Newb Techie Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 7	If you are still a student, don't use Msn at school. That way you decrease the chance of being hacked with almost 100% (at least that is my experience).

04-05-2004, 06:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
kiri Newb Techie Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 32	No worries about making it a new thread. All those symptoms point to a common woe. Firewall and antivirus reliability. What you have going on with your machine is a very common spyware driveby download. All you need to do to pick it up is to visit a dubious website. Porn, cracks, Gator, Kazaa (even light), to name a couple of peer to peer download sites. Personally I wouldn't touch Gator or Kazaa with a ten foot barge pole. But that's my opinion. Getting rid of it? Delete ALL cookies (excl. index file) and temporary internet files. Next go to the trendmicro.com site and scan your system. If it doesn't pick it up it isn't a virus. Just a nuisance. Check that your homepage when loggin on is still set to the one you want. Then go to Control Panel>Add/Remove progs. Take a look in there for anything unusual or something you don't expect/need/want and remove it. Don't forget to delete shortcuts via start menu and desktop. Can't think of anything else right now without more info. Good luck. Cheers!

04-07-2004, 03:47 AM	#8 (permalink)
EbolaRN Newb Techie Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 9	it's gone OK, so got rid of all cookies...still there. Downloaded/ran all antivirus programs...still there. Tried windows fix and shazaam!...it detected a tricky spyware and allowed me to turn off MSN messenger. It hides in the msn messenger, yet, isn't a true virus. Good scare and am now happy. Thanks all for your help. If in doubt, let windows fix it. They are getting smarter everyday!

04-11-2004, 05:24 AM	#9 (permalink)
EbolaRN Newb Techie Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 9	Though...Control Alt Delete is still being utilized...**** windows

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