ANYONE Else getting these popups?

TOB9595

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I'm getting lots and lots of popups that say click ok and then go to endads.com for a great way to end these popups.
I get these popups even when I don't have a browser up.
I do see someone trying to penetrate me (?) from a server in Halifax. I blocked them.
I'll get popups when I'm connected and running a newsgroup app. Especially when I light up the browser (netscape). Many, many of these pop ups /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Tom
 

logicnerd411

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Oh, I heard of these but forgot how to kill them... Sorry for your misfortune... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Dan
 

Empath

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Endads usually uses messenger service popups. You can turn it off. If you want a lot of info on it check This thread at Spywareinfo's forum.
 

e=mc²

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What I simply do is, depending on OS, go to Services, Messenger and then first stop it if it is running, then I disable it. There are numerous ways to get at this but I do not know what OS you use. For XP/2000 you right click on my computer, select "Manage" then open up the branch on the tree that says Services and Applications, then select "Services". On the right hand side of the display will be all of the current services installed. Just find Messenger highligt it and right click and choose properties. Now you should be able to stop it, then disable it. Unless of course you are on a corporate network and they want you to receive "NET SEND" type of broadcasts. Then you will have to consult one of your network admins to remain in compliance with corporate policy.

Ed.
 

TOB9595

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Thanks Guys I knew you'd have the info. I stopped messenger service.
I use w2k
Clever spam tho.
OH NO another forum that looks great....EGADS
Tom
 

flownosaj

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I had the same problems last month. Sasha and many others helped out and now I'm free of that popup mess.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

-Jason
 

TOB9595

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It is insidious and I think i'm free of the new spam technique /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
It's a wonder I didn't see the previous posts. Would've saved me many a trojan and spy hunt /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Tom
 

milkyspit

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[ QUOTE ]
TOB9595 said:
I'm getting lots and lots of popups that say click ok and then go to endads.com for a great way to end these popups.
I get these popups even when I don't have a browser up.
I do see someone trying to penetrate me (?) from a server in Halifax. I blocked them.
I'll get popups when I'm connected and running a newsgroup app. Especially when I light up the browser (netscape). Many, many of these pop ups /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting. If someone pointed a gun at you and said that if you gave them money they would stop pointing their gun at you, I believe most of us would call that mugging...

Hmm...
 

Chris M.

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It`s like the spam I get now and then advertizing anti-spam software. What`s up with that? If those muppets would only sit and think about it for a moment - they`re only making things worse. If they didn`t send out this junk in the first place, there wouldn`t be any need for spam blocking programs.

Daylight robbery I tell ya. It`s *got* to be illegal *somewhere*, hasn`t it?

Honestly......

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif
 

milkyspit

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Chris M (as well as anyone else), one step I can suggest on the spam front is an email account from spamcop.net. It's similar to the accounts you can get from Hotmail or Yahoo, except it isn't free ($30 per year, though, which still isn't bad) and it has built-in filters plus Spam-Assassin technology to slaughter perhaps 95% of all the spam you get, while almost never trashing legitimate emails. (Supports whitelists and blacklists, too, so you can explicitly let certain mails get through and explicitly force others always to be tossed.) You can of course read your email in any Web browser, and/or you can use Outlook or any other typical email program.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif

I've been using this service as my mail email account for morethan a year now, and it's worked much better than I had hoped. That's significant, too, because as a computer consultant I tend to be picky about my technologies... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

And no, I don't have the slightest connection with them, other than being a happy paying customer. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Chris M specifically, to stray off-topic ever so briefly, your post says you're in South Wales. Do you mean WALES Wales, as in the U.K.? I've always wanted to visit there, but so far haven't gotten past London itself.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif
 

Chris M.

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I`m actually using Mailwasher to screen all incoming mail before downloading it, and it`s tied into Spamcop`s blacklist too as well as ORDB (the open relay database) and Spamhaus. Ever since I shut down one of my older mail accounts that was bombarded by junk, things are now pretty manageable and I find I`ve usually got time to report all the offenses through spamcop`s free reporting service, delete/bounce them and be on with business. I`ve actually noticed a decline in spam on the only other address (so far *fingers crossed*) that gets it over the past few months so something must be working.....?

Spam hasn`t actually come near my inbox for ages now. It`s just the whole principle of the thing that I dispize so much. If I ever rule the world (and it`s doubtful that I will - I havn`t even got an underground lair /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) I`ll have all spammers executed in public, along with virus writers and those people who make the banner-ads that vibrate, twitch and strobe like mad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

-

Yep, Wales as in Welsh Wales. Lots of hills and valleys and sheep, and more sheep. The occasional coal-mine, though they`re mostly gone now unfortunately.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Empath

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I guess I'd have to disagree with you on SpamCop. SpamCop is a disgrace to the antispam community. It would be nice if they'd turn face and correct their inadequecies and get a little integrity, but I don't expect it. I'd settle for them just dropping out of the game entirely.
 

milkyspit

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[ QUOTE ]
Chris M. said:
Spam hasn`t actually come near my inbox for ages now. It`s just the whole principle of the thing that I dispize so much. If I ever rule the world (and it`s doubtful that I will - I havn`t even got an underground lair /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) I`ll have all spammers executed in public, along with virus writers and those people who make the banner-ads that vibrate, twitch and strobe like mad /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Or maybe the virus writers could cut plea bargains with prosecutors if they successfully write viruses that target the spammers...?

Or we could just round them all up, give each a computer, and have a 21st century version of a nice little gladiatorial match, and charge admission...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif
 

milkyspit

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[ QUOTE ]
Empath said:
I guess I'd have to disagree with you on SpamCop. SpamCop is a disgrace to the antispam community. It would be nice if they'd turn face and correct their inadequecies and get a little integrity, but I don't expect it. I'd settle for them just dropping out of the game entirely.

[/ QUOTE ]

Whoa. Er, what exactly have they supposedly done or not done, Empath, and in what way do they have no integrity? My experience with their email account has been very positive... but maybe you know something I don't?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 

Empath

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I've got to first say, Spamcop does indeed filter. However, their filtering is not exclusive to spam. You have to ask which is better, false positives, or false negatives. That SpamCops filtering is deliberately slanted toward false positives is no accident.

There are several ways of trying to deal with spam. Among them there are filters, there are target specific addresses, sender verification methods, and temporary expiring addresses. While I've nothing but praise for personal blacklists filtering, and whitelist filtering, the weakest method of effectively avoiding spam is through universal filters. Filters do have an advantage though in that is one of the most effective in discouraging the source of spam. The other methods basically just eliminate the spam, but does nothing to discourage or inconvenience the spammer. While such filtering as open-relay blocking is more or less indiscriminate, it is targeted toward ones worthy of the inconvenience. Open relay is without justification, and a major contributor to the spam problem.

SpamCop though is an IP blocker. That would be okay if the the spammer's IP was blocked. But, SpamCop has attempted to take the "discouragement" factor inherent in open relay blocking, and apply it to IP blocking. They block entire networks. What's worse, they do so without proper investigation, and without regard to legitimate users that are dependent on the network, or ISP. The large segment of users that are tied in with SpamCop's filters, often without the users knowledge, means individuals, newletters, mailing lists, and even the entire user base of some providers are unknowingly sending email that goes nowhere. They don't even recognize the problem until all the mail comes bouncing back, and the network involved starts checking into why so much email isn't working. Lockergnome, Langalist, Infopackets Gazette, and various large, and totally opt-in lists have been blocked. These lists are those someone subscribes to, receives an email notification and responds to it. They get information on unsubscribing to the list, which is usually as simple as clicking a link or sending an unsubscribe request by email. Many of those wishing to unsubscribe though apparently choose to attempt to unsubscribe by sending a report to SpamCop. Due to the irresponsible manner in which a blocked IP is determined by SpamCop, the list is blocked. SpamCop is quick to block, and slow to remove the block.

A very large segment of the antispam community has pleaded with, and tried to reason with Julian Haight to change the method, but to no avail.

The integrity issue, is that Julian has attempted to fight competition by blocking the IP of competitors. Spamex, Emailias, Sneakemail, SpamMotel and such compete in a method that SpamCop can't. They don't filter. With them a special email address is generated by the user for a specific purpose. Then any email sent to that address is forwarded to the users real address. Mail doesn't origniate at those servers, but is only passed on. For SpamCop to block them is totally without justification, and is only a business tactic to destroy them.

If you want to research the problem, here's a few addresses. The pages also contain many links. It's enough to keep you busy listening to the same complaints for hours.

http://jhoward.fastmail.fm/spamcop.html
http://www.politechbot.com/cgi-bin/politech.cgi?name=spamcop
http://www.azc.com/htmls/faqs/spamcop_blocking.html
http://www.spamex.com/news/2002.12.16.spamcop.cfm
http://www.website101.com/SpamFilter/spamcops.html
http://new.theage.com.au/articles/2002/12/19/1040174329829.html
http://www.politechbot.com/p-04129.html
http://www.spamresource.com/sc.html
 

milkyspit

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Empath, thanks. This is clearly an issue you are very passionate about, and you certainly exceeded my expectations in offering the information I sought! I appreciate it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I won't get into a big debate here over the merits (or not) of Spamcop vs. other spam blocking techniques, nor about the alleged ethics of Julian Haight. I will offer some tidbits that might be of practical value to those deciding what to do about their spam problem.

In the Spamcop email account, anything flagged as spam is stored in a "Held Mail" folder that I can review whenever I want; nothing is actually deleted until I do so myself, or possibly until a certain number of days elapses, though I've never seen that happen. I tend to review my held mail each weekend (sometimes once every couple weekends) to make sure nothing valuable was tossed.

Anything on the whitelist is kept regardless of any other filters in effect. Similarly, anything on the blacklist is tossed (into the held mail folder) regardless of any other filters. Not sure what happens when the same thing is in both whitelist AND blacklist, but I know it wouldn't be the smartest thing in the world to do! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

There are a number of filters to choose from; here's a quick copy-and-paste:

<ul type="square">[*]SpamCop Blacklist (bl.spamcop.net)
[*]SPEWS level 1 (spews.relays.osirusoft.com)
[*]Osirusoft open relay inputs (inputs.relays.osirusoft.com)
[*]ORDB open relays (relays.ordb.org)
[*]Spamhaus Blacklist (spamhaus.relays.osirusoft.com)
[*]South Korea (the country) (korea.services.net)
[*]Osirusoft Open Proxies (socks.relays.osirusoft.com)
[*]monkeys.com open proxies (proxies.relays.monkeys.com)
[*]China (the country) (cn.rbl.cluecentral.net)
[*]Nigeria (nigeria.blackholes.us)
[*]Argentina (argentina.blackholes.us)
[*]Brazil (brazil.blackholes.us)
[/list]

The key point on the filters is that each and every one of them, including the "SpamCop Blacklist" itself, can be enabled or disabled at the user's discretion at any time. So if Spamcop is abusing their blacklist as has been alleged (not sure if they do or not, just trying to be objective for the time being), you can actually stop using it! Seems odd, but there it is.

In addition to all the above, Spamcop recently began using the SpamAssassin heuristics-based filtering system, which essentially looks through the incoming emails for phrases, technical details (colors, font sizes, positions of things, etc.), etc., that it associates with spam. SpamAssassin then assigns a "score" between 0 and 10 to the email, with higher scores associated with a higher likelihood of the message being spam. The user can choose any particular threshold for tossing mail into the held mail folder; for example, I toss anything scored 5 or higher. The user can also disable the SpamAssassin filter entirely just as any of the other filters can be disabled.

In practice, I have every filter activated for my account, plus I've got a fair number of entries in both my whitelist and my blacklist at this point. Each week I receive roughly 2000 spam messages that are caught and tossed into the held mail folder; I would estimate that perhaps 100 spam messages during the course of the week still make it into my Inbox. Also in a typical week, nothing that I would have wanted gets tossed, though occassionally (once every several weeks?) I might find a couple messages I wanted that got tossed. When I do, I move them back to my Inbox and usually add them to my whitelist so it doesn't happen again. I will say that the majority of those "false positives" (mail I wanted that got tossed) are promotional mails, but they're ones I want to receive.

What I can say with certainty is that in practice, my Spamcop-based email account works well for me. Is it the best choice, or the one on the highest moral ground? I honestly don't know; that's something for additional research.
 

Silviron

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What makes me angry (of the many things that make me angry) is getting spam emails or popups from some outfit that is offering a "solution" to stopping spam or popups. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

I got spam emails from SpamCop twice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif
However, they did not feel it was necessary to email me when they blacklisted two of my own domains because my host left my email server as an open relay.
 

milkyspit

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Silviron, I could see that being annoying.

I used to run an email newsletter called "Jamzie Stock," and a few times people would subscribe to it yet later forget they did so, and report me to Spamcop. Mind you, every single signup I took was opt-in, and I made it both clear and obvious how to unsubscribe! Plus they got a welcome email immediately after subscribing, explaining exactly what they should do if their signup was a mistake. Plus it was clearly a legitimate newsletter, not a solicitation to increase the size of one's, er, organ. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Each time I contacted Spamcop and explained the situation, and as far as I know, I never had any trouble delivering my newsletter. But that's just one guy's experience.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Anyway, my intent here was to help people stop spammers by offering my own experiences, not to get people inflamed about Spamcop or anything else. (Getting inflamed about spammers, spyware vendors, and the like would be acceptable, though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

My personal take on Julian Haight is that he's a guy who's an absolute vigilante against spam, and like any vigilante, sometimes takes matters too far.

Anyway, my two cents.
 

Silviron

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Well, we seem to have taken a thread off topic once again (Apologies to TOB9595)

Although I have gotten irritated with SpamCop a few times, they aren't all bad... I couldn't get my host to fix the open mail relay on my server, even by threatening to take my business elsewhere. But when I contacted SpamCop about it, they took me off the blacklist promptly AND used their "influence" to get my host to close the mail relay. So overall, I do have to give them a /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
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