Trojans via Messenger

How about telling us what "picks up a few " means - please tell us what the programs detect so that we can tell you how you got them.

Which messenger?

Most likely false alarms (yes, it's intentional that "about:blank" is my start page!), but IE should be disabled anyway.

Doesn't matter, just one untrusted contact is enough. Or, in case of ICQ, just one communication attempt.

Doesn't matter, a firewall doesn't cover wanted communication.

If you could tell us which messenger you're using... Well, so far there are numerous defective messengers:

MSN Messenger, Windows Messenger: uses IE engine for message rendering and doesn't care for MIME types -> vulnerable to all unpatched IE security holes. It also displayed WMF images tagged as image/gif :-)

AOL IM: 'aim:' protocol handler vulnerable to multiple buffer overflows and cross-site-scripting, generally lousy code

Yahoo IM: so far not too bad, but it's just a typical "Me Too" product

ICQ (Lite): extremely lousy code, lots of vulnerabilities, totally unsafe protocol

GAIM and Trillian do have some minor troubles, but I wouldn't treat them as dangerous. Miranda is fine, and all the other minor alternatives seems to be OK too.

Thanks for leads ! I use MSN Messenger. Even when I am just logged on to the MSN Messenger, and have not contacted any members of my VERY small group (all of whom are close family members and extremely careful about what they do online) I still find, when running AdAware, or other spyware program, that I have picked up at least 3 or 4 High Risk Threats. When I check to see what they are, they are mainly Data Miners with an IE origin. I run a spyware check every day by the way. It is a shame not to be logged on, which is what I am now finding the best solution. I have family in Canada, Australia, England, Florida etc. and it has been great just being able to say "Good Morning - how's everything going?" from my tiny French village, even just using a white board. Susan

"High Risk Threats" in terms of AdAware, not reality.

A well-known hype of AdAware.

But it's a shame to have running a crappy piece of software and using it as an excuse to not be logged on, whereas a lot of serious alternative software packages are available.

Yes - it IS a shame not to run a package like this, especially seeing the savings on my long-distance telephone calls :-) Perhaps you could suggest a good alternative to MSN Messenger? Do you think that disabling Messenger from sending any email would help?

Huh? Misusing that lousy VoIP thing of MSN Messenger?

Miranda, GAIM, Trillian, SIM, Qnext, IM2, Bitlbee or about anything involving Jabber (with the server doing Transports).

For VoIP through serious interoperable protocols there are NetMeeting, WinGizmo, Wengo, PhoneGAIM, ...

No. One message from a not totally trusted contact is enough. Anyway, MSN Messenger does not employ eMail but merely a small interface for Hotmail.

Many thanks for all the useful help and tips. I will try the other messenger services which you suggest. Perhaps I will then be able to keep the messenger up and running with peace of mind. Servus - Susan

I never realized that ICQ had such problems.

I am glad I never used it, altho I have been tempted.

I stopped using MSN Messenger years ago, gorgot why.

I have used Yahoo voice a lot. BUT during last couple of years have used a cheap dial-around: OneSuite too. Incredibly low long distance phone rates. As low as USA-Canada 1.9CPM! Works as prepaid phone card. PIN not needed for calls from home or cell phone. Compare the rates at

Read a bit at

about the often found blatant security holes in that piece of bit-junk.

Hm... I got 1CPM for a simple SIP gateway, I've got 30 free minutes at my DSL provider and could also take =809.95 for flat rate.