I have recently started receiving these pop-up messages sporadically while online. I have run the lates version of Ad-Ware and they still show up. Any ideas? Some of them are X-rated (not that that bothers me too much) but Im concerned about security.Thanks for any info.MarkPS Could this come from Trillian?

Yep. The latest form of Spam that even gets right through your firewall. "Messenger Spam."Read this:http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2002Oct/...21017016848.htm

Congrats...You are the first I've seen with this problem, and it's only been recently reported. There is a service, called "Messenger Service", which exists to allow admins such as meself the ability to broadcast messages over our LAN/WAN environment. Problem is, this service can be exploited by an external source, and "pop-ups" can be sent to the desktop -->even if there is no browser open. You have one option, which is to disable the messenger service. However, some Anti-virus software relies on it.The real bummer in all this, is the lowlifes who advertise this way are circumventing the current set of anti-spam laws. The software which provides this type of spamming ability seemed to originate from overseas, and has been sold to several hundred firms in its short life.Hopefully, some wise guru will figure a way around this...-John

Good link Edam... I first saw reports of this only yesterday....

Thanks a ton, I appreciate the info.Mark

Thanks John. This showed up on one of my company's servers last week. Coincidentally, a day later it popped onto my machine while I was running FS2K2! Thankfully, I wasn't on final when it occurred because it took me temporarily out of 2K2 to display the message! I was NOT happy about that. I have since diasbled the Messenger service, and hope that PC-Cillin won't mind. Heh...

I had to same problem last week. I ran ad-aware and it got rid of the problem.Bob Johnson Sr. (KMIE)

Adaware won't remove the problem discussed in this thread. This is not a typical spyware trojan... You may have had some spyware installed which resembled this. Unless Adaware has taken it on themselves to disable messenger service, which I doubt--would raise too many issues with System Admins, who respect and use Adaware (I certainly use it on my WAN).

I can't believe they're "advertising" this way. Did they actually think it's going to work and capture people attention?

Agreed, Adaware certainly won't detect this, or remedy it. It's not even something that happens on a daily basis...yet.

answered my own question.

okay