How to stop spammers and their sneaky ads

Kim Komando writes about workplace technology and security issues. She's the host of the nation's largest talk-radio show about computers and the Internet, and writes a syndicated column for more than 100 Gannett newspapers and for USA Today. Find Kim's show on the radio station nearest you, and send an e-mail to subscribe to her free weekly e-mail newsletter.

By Kim Komando

So, there you are, working on an important proposal. Suddenly, out of nowhere, advertising messages begin to pop up on your screen:

"Hot teens looking for action!" Or "Enlarge your (select a body part) safely and naturally!" Or "Make thousands working at home for only a few hours a week!"

If this hasn't happened to you yet, it will. Even if your e-mail program and Web browser are closed, purveyors of spam can get to you. It's especially likely to happen if you are continually hooked to the Internet with a broadband connection.

It's called "Messenger Service" spam

This little problem is Messenger Service spam. It's the most recent development from the creeps who jam the Internet with tasteless and unwanted advertising. For many people, it has become a very unhappy reality.

Messenger Service is a utility included in Windows XP and Windows 2000. It should not be confused with MSN Messenger or any other instant messaging system. Instead, it is a service used by system administrators to send notices to client computers. For instance, if an emergency arises and a network must be closed, the administrator could use it to send a warning message to tell people to save their work.

Unfortunately, several companies have developed software to take advantage of this. Spammers use this software to send out Internet probes, which scan tens of thousands of computers per hour. When they find a computer with an open communications port, they shoot spam into it. The spam pops up on the screen with the same type of window an administrator would use.

It is hard to imagine that anyone could create this software without having spammers in mind. One company in Florida warns on its Web site that its software should not be used for spam. But it also brags that messages sent with its software cannot be traced. Who needs this? People who send spam, that's who!

How to stop it

The people who use this technique to spam you are banking on your ignorance. A friend of mine was receiving Messenger Service spam touting software to stop Messenger Service spam. How's that for crass? But you don't need special software to block this spam. A little knowledge and some Windows tweaks will protect you.

If you like, you can simply shut down Messenger Service. This works in both Windows XP and 2000:

This will slam the door on the spam. But you will not be able to use Messenger Service, which may not be a big deal for many people.

But there's more you should do

However, some programs do use Messenger Service. Antivirus programs, for instance, sometimes send messages through Messenger Service. So a better solution is a firewall. Everyone should have a firewall, anyway, to block intruders. If you're getting Messenger Service spam, you may have other, and bigger, problems.

Firewalls essentially make your computer invisible to scanners on the Internet. They hide the various communications ports that scanners seek. There are so many threats on the Internet; a firewall is essential. Two firewalls free for personal use are Outpost Firewall and ZoneAlarm Personal. For business, Outpost is about $40 and ZoneAlarm is $50. You can download and install both from the Internet.

Windows XP has a built-in firewall. I don't usually recommend it, because it does not block unauthorized transmissions from your computer to the Internet. That could be a problem if an intruder succeeds in planting a program on your computer. Such programs are used to steal passwords and other sensitive data.

However, the firewall in Windows XP will stop Messenger Service spam. To activate it:

Windows 2000 does not include a built-in firewall. However, both Outpost and ZoneAlarm have versions of their applications for Windows 2000.

No one is more devoted to free enterprise than I am. I believe that the Internet has thrived precisely because it has not been heavily regulated. But the onslaught of spam could destroy it. People should not have to learn their computers inside-out to protect themselves from purveyors of smut. Congress eventually will have to act to stop this stuff.

Until then, protect your system so the idiots and crooks can't attack you.