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On 26 Dec 2005, at 11:17, Dale wrote: |
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> |
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> Well, I did go to the site but it was *after* I got the traffic. |
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> How did they find me to begin with? I assume it was just a random |
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> hit. Sort of like a shot in the dark. |
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They just automate sending of these messenger service spams. Send |
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them to every IP in a range, that sort of thing. It might be a wake- |
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up call to take a look at your security setup in general, but don't |
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worry about this particular aspect. |
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|
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On 26 Dec 2005, at 10:51, Holly Bostick wrote: |
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> |
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> ... the message uses |
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> Microsoft Messenger Service, which is turned on by default under |
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> Windows, and enables these kind of popup messages across LAN and WAN, |
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> sort of like a mini MSN-- which I believe it connects to as well-- and |
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> is not only quite "useless" except to people like this, but also quite |
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> insecure because it lets unknown people like this send you "messages" |
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> without your active consent. |
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|
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The Messenger Service is different from Windows Messenger - it's all |
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a bit of a confusing hodgepodge of names. |
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|
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XP comes supplied with an MSN Messenger program which isn't called |
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"MSN Messenger" but instead "Windows Messenger", I think; apart from |
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the name it's identical to old versions of MSN messenger in that you |
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add buddies by email address. |
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The Messenger Service is something else completely - you're right |
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that it allows people to send you little pop-up windows without your |
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consent, but it's kinda a bigger story than that. Unlike buddy |
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messengers, there's no reply box or any buttons other than "OK" and |
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to send one of these messages you have to use the Windows File & |
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Printer Sharing command line `net /send <computer name> text of your |
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message`. Back in the days of Windows 3.1 or 95 this undoubtedly |
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seemed like a great idea, as no-one using Windows networks had heard |
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of the Internet, this was essentially a "free" service with Windows |
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File & Printer Sharing and the only abuse it was really open to was |
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employees kidding about with each other. |
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|
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I suspect the reason Messenger Service is enabled by default because |
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third-party developers use it. I've seen it used by the likes of |
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cheap database apps to say "Blimey! You're out of stock! Order some |
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more." For those who think that Microsoft writes bad software, you |
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really should see some of the sewage written by small independent |
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developers for the Windows platform; some meeting this description |
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are undoubtedly doing a great job, but I've seen some horrors from |
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those aiming at small business & niche markets. These guys seem to |
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have no incentive to consider quality or security - basically anyone |
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with a programmer & a salesman can set up in these markets and as |
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long as the product meets a need and appears to work then it goes out |
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the door. |
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I'd guess that Messenger Service could safely be disabled out the box |
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these days, but I wouldn't be surprised that there were many |
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applications that would have suffered from that at the time XP was |
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released. |
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|
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Stroller. |
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|
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-- |
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