OT, microsoft scare!!!!!!!!!

[marcdups]

to all you wizz out there, came home to find my computer on line being updated by Microsoft, had been on line for just over 15 mins,WTF??? It was in sleep mode when I left with everything closed, can anyone explain?? and I am not on cable or DSl, just plain old phone line :confused: :rolleyes: :confused: :confused:

[FJB20]

Your Puter will go to sleep no matter what after a certain period of time. You proably set that TIME Period a long time ago. You didn't realize it but you had to leave your computer without getting off of your internet provider. No way microsoft got to you without a link to the internet. AOL doesn't throw you off after a time anymore. You can sit there for days. You probably told Microsoft .Com to give you all the automatic updates -- but the link between you and them is the internet. Or POLDERGIESE
Good Luck FJB20

[marcdups]

Talked to ATT and yes, Microsoft will access your puter if they need to place an update at anytime, had to change some settings for it not to re occur, go figure eek! eek!

I'll keep on learning :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[mattyboy]

also check to make sure none of your software has the option to check automatically for updates, my accounting software did that once! just once!!

Matt

[marcdups]

Matt, did that and no I did not have it set that way, but changed some settings in communications that I feel comfortable about.

What is this world getting to?? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[CnV & Family]

M$2000 and possibly Win98 (I think)...

M$ has a critical update notification function. It is set (by default I believe) to auto check M$ for critical updates if installed. That includes dialing up your ISP, connecting to M$, and downloading the updates to your PC.

How to disable it? The only way I know of is to go to:
'start'
'control panel'
'add/remove programs'
'change/remove' to uninstall M$ Windows Critical Update Notification 3.0 (or earlier version)

Removing/uninstalling it only forces you to manually check MS for updates.

Edit/Clarification - M$ does not initiate the access to your computer, the software itself (Windows or otherwise as Matt pointed out) has settings that allow the programs to do just that.

Hope this helps,
-C

[Digger]

I remove my phone line from the back of my computer whenver I log off.

[CnV & Family]

Digger...

You're making this WAY to simple!!! :D

-C

[Forrest]

Either you didn't break the connection to your ISP or a program made your PC connect to your ISP. By default, WinXP will silently check with MS while you are online and recommend that you download updates. I don't think that it would initiate a download and update your OS totally unattended. I just can't see Microsoft directly dialing your PC. That phone call would be money out of Bill G's pocket! On the other hand, who's to say that a virus/vandal/worm program didn't run ant a certain time and made the connection, and who's to say for sure that your PC was connected to Microsoft? :confused:

Good idea Digger. Somehow, I got a $25, one-minute charge on my local bill this month from some 900 number. The charge was made in the middle of the night when I was dead asleep. Either it was dialed by the PC (by an undetected virus/vandal/worm) or somehow someone knows how to get that charge on my phone bill. Either way, I ain't payin'!!! :mad: :mad:

[marcdups]

thanks for all the support, CV & B was correct, I have windows ms and deleted the update file, can you believe AT & T is sending me an upgrede to windows NT and they are doing it on their buck, says that nusiance has been corrected on this years version!!

Just puter ignorance on my part I guess,

Wonder why they were trying to get under my TOWEL eek! :D eek! :D eek!

[oldLenny]

..on a side note. If youv'e got kids, and they're using Winmx (music) or similar instant chat stuff, if your computer is set up to automatically dial, passwords are (don't ask me again , (WIN98), and someone ELSE wants some of YOUR stuff, it will log on, and let the would be "wanter" into your PC to get their request!!!

I've come home and found my computer "up and connected" (man, that sounds dirty :rolleyes: )
for 10 hours many a time and all this happenning after I went to work and (I) disconnectd it when I got home.

Don't make "log-ons" easy. It is a convenience, but not just for you...

[CnV & Family]

Forrest - I'm not sure how M$ XP and ME are configured by default because I've not auctualy used those windows versions.

It is near impossible that anyone would be able to dial into the computer unless you specifically run communication software to allow such access for whatever reason. Since the computer line is usualy the phone line, an incoming call would just ring or go to the answering machine. Even the Viruses/Trojans/Worms etc... can't do this.

On the other hand (you are correct), if your PC does get cracked and mischevious software is installed (you would have to be online at the time/email/etc...), the Virus/Torjan/Worm etc... that infected your computer CAN initiate the modem at a given time and dial out to your ISP. Once connected, whomever has access to that trojan program can then connect to that program and then be able to control your computer.

Not sure about your phone co, but I had the option to prevent any 900 #'s being called from our home, free of charge... might want to give them a call and check into that.

marcdups - I'm not following why ATT is sending you and NT upgrade? Are you running NT on your home computer? Overall, computer stuff is not too hard to understand. It's like anything else... if someone can explain it in simple terms, give a good analogy, and give clear concise steps/answers, then things are a little easier to make sense out of!

Lenny - Kids and Instant Messaging... EEK! I steer away from that in our house. Trying to keep it down to email for now! You make an excellent point however!

Don't make "log-ons" easy. It is a convenience, but not just for you...-C

[MOP]

Hi and good morning, I have been screwing around with computers since 1972, my first modem was 300 Baud that I put the telephone reciever in. I really do not think there is a way for an outside party to dial in unless you have PC Anywhere or similar program installed. But over the last few years there are alot of sites that will drop a Dialer progam on your system. I find at the very least one a month. You can hunt them down in your system. "But be very careful of what Dialers you delete". Go to start, then Find, then type dialer set it to check my computer. Any suspicious ones can be looked at in explorer your system has alot as part of ots make up. Again when there is the slightest doubt do not delete a dialer. I know the following procedure takes time but it is fool proof. If you find a suspect you can copy it to a floppy, then write down exactly where it was. THen delete the little bugger. If it causes a problem just copy it back to where it was from the floppy. Another place they plant them selves is in the system registry "This is not a good place to muck around unless you are very comfortable with Puters" Before you decide to look in there make sure you make a copy. There are many references on the net that will guide you through that process. Almost every dialer I find is in the Windows System and usualy has a cute little icon. I believe that everyone should have a firewall, there are quite a few free decent ones. Most tech sites have reviews so you can pick one. I my self am running Tiny Firewall, Zone Alarm is another good one. The will tell you who is trying to get in. DoS attacks are getting rampant, that is when someone takes controll of your machine to attack larger systems. And its not just kids. I copy the adress down and go to the All Who Is site and research the it. I have been hit by several foriegn conties usually Virtual private networks which are dead end. With a firewall you have fairly good controll over who get in. SORRY FOR THE LONG WINDED NOTE!

Phil / Long Island

[mattyboy]

almost forgot some versions of MS outlook and outlook express have an auto check for email every X minutes had that happen too,
so in options(accounts) uncheck check for email every x minutes and I also uncheck check when first go online as well I don't like the puter doing any thing automatically for me, it leads to trouble.

Matt

[CnV & Family]

Phil - Thanks for the tip on searching for dialers, I'm a stickler for keeping things neat and clean and knowing where everything is at. I forrayed into the computer arena in about 81 with a TI/99-4a. (You don't happen to remember Parsec do ya?) Yeah, I know... I'm a young'n :D

I didn't want to venture into registry settings and firewalls. Registry settings are not something I'd generally make a suggestion for someone to search/change since they can reek havoc on a pc. I've not been exposed to personal firewalls (other than reading) so I don't like trying to pretend I know about them. However, I do strongly believe they are becoming necessary and I'll invest in one if I ever get off dialup. I also strongly suggest antivirus software and regular definition updates.

Thanks for the excellent info and recommendations. :)

PS. Here at work I deal with about 80-100 scans a week from about 5-7 different countries. We also quarantine about 5 virus infected emails a week. Sometimes more, sometimes less...

-C

[Rootsy]

I run McAfee firewall on my laptop and within the first week i had more than a 50 port scans intercepted... just brings to light how many threats there really are out there...