MSN have received a slap on the wrist today and a load of bad publicity as apparently they have been 'censoring' certain messages from being sent to your contacts. Wait, it is not what it seems, just some bad media attention exaggerating again, which has been made it out like a scandal has been revealed.
We already knew for over a year now about messages containing the .pif extension in them were blocked out for security reasons, but nevertheless Microsoft have been criticized for the move.
Other phases to prevent viruses have been blocked out like download.php and staff.php. We already reported this ages ago so it is no scandal what so ever, the move was totally justified in my view. Yet companies like AOL are loving the moment, claiming that they never have and never will censor messages, making them sound better, which is a poor way for a company to operate.
If you hear any more news on this subject, it is media hype. The change was for the better and the terminology they use in their posts makes it sound really bad. As I said earlier companies like AOL show how the instant messaging world is a rocky competing place. This could effect the integration between Yahoo! and Microsoft as they have to compete to be the best.
Source: ComputerActive
We already knew for over a year now about messages containing the .pif extension in them were blocked out for security reasons, but nevertheless Microsoft have been criticized for the move.
Other phases to prevent viruses have been blocked out like download.php and staff.php. We already reported this ages ago so it is no scandal what so ever, the move was totally justified in my view. Yet companies like AOL are loving the moment, claiming that they never have and never will censor messages, making them sound better, which is a poor way for a company to operate.
If you hear any more news on this subject, it is media hype. The change was for the better and the terminology they use in their posts makes it sound really bad. As I said earlier companies like AOL show how the instant messaging world is a rocky competing place. This could effect the integration between Yahoo! and Microsoft as they have to compete to be the best.
Source: ComputerActiveDo you save your password within Windows Live Messenger so that you don't have to enter it every time you want to sign in? Well if you do, you probably shouldn't!
Over at Fanatic Live, Doggie, TheSteve and Psyko have discovered that with only a few lines of code a hacker could gain access to any passwords saved through/for Windows Live Messenger. This can be done due to a problem in the way that Messenger stores your password - everything is stored in plain (unencrypted) text!
Find out how you can access your passwords (on your local computer only) in this thread at the Fanatic Live forums.
Source: Fanatic Live
Thread (including code) at Fanatic Live forums
Over at Fanatic Live, Doggie, TheSteve and Psyko have discovered that with only a few lines of code a hacker could gain access to any passwords saved through/for Windows Live Messenger. This can be done due to a problem in the way that Messenger stores your password - everything is stored in plain (unencrypted) text!
Find out how you can access your passwords (on your local computer only) in this thread at the Fanatic Live forums.
Source: Fanatic Live Thread (including code) at Fanatic Live forumsIf you've unluckily downloaded the MySpace MSN/Windows Live Messenger worm that absorbation posted about last week then there is now a way to remove it.
Someone called Serena has posted a guide on how to remove it on her blog. I won't quote it here so if you do have it and want to remove it then have a look at her blog post.
For more help visit the comments on this subject at Fanatic Live.
Instructions on how to remove the MySpace messenger worm
More help about removing this worm at Fanatic Live
It sends messages like "check out these pics of us! http://~~~~~.pics-myspace.info", but the file leads you to download an .exe and if that is ran it will send the same message to all your contacts. No real damage from this one is known, but your contacts won't be too happy with you that's for sure. Remember instant messengers are a target for viruses and worms so be careful.
Someone called Serena has posted a guide on how to remove it on her blog. I won't quote it here so if you do have it and want to remove it then have a look at her blog post.
For more help visit the comments on this subject at Fanatic Live.
Instructions on how to remove the MySpace messenger worm More help about removing this worm at Fanatic LiveOver the past week there have been two brand new worms spreading via MSN and Windows Live Messenger.
One known as the Black Angels attack sends the following messages to your Messenger contacts: 'jaja look a that fantasma.zip' and 'mira este video fantasma.zip jaja'. This only appears to be affecting French users, but it is easy to be fooled no matter what language the text is in. The file looks like it is in Windows Media Player file format, but in reality it is a zipped folder. According to Panda Software it disables your registry editor, task manager and attempts to end your anti virus processers. Other than that no direct harm to your files has been detected but it opens a whole new load of annoyances and security flaws by doing this, so be careful.
The second is really a nuisance worm. It sends messages like "check out these pics of us! http://~~~~~.pics-myspace.info", but the file leads you to download an .exe and if that is ran it will send the same message to all your contacts. No real damage from this one is known, but your contacts won't be too happy with you that's for sure. Remember instant messengers are a target for viruses and worms so be careful.
View source for Black Angels worm
View source for MySpace worm
One known as the Black Angels attack sends the following messages to your Messenger contacts: 'jaja look a that fantasma.zip' and 'mira este video fantasma.zip jaja'. This only appears to be affecting French users, but it is easy to be fooled no matter what language the text is in. The file looks like it is in Windows Media Player file format, but in reality it is a zipped folder. According to Panda Software it disables your registry editor, task manager and attempts to end your anti virus processers. Other than that no direct harm to your files has been detected but it opens a whole new load of annoyances and security flaws by doing this, so be careful.
The second is really a nuisance worm. It sends messages like "check out these pics of us! http://~~~~~.pics-myspace.info", but the file leads you to download an .exe and if that is ran it will send the same message to all your contacts. No real damage from this one is known, but your contacts won't be too happy with you that's for sure. Remember instant messengers are a target for viruses and worms so be careful.
View source for Black Angels worm View source for MySpace wormPanda Software has reported a new virus as the W32/Nugache.A.worm or Nugache.A is spreading via MSN/Windows Live Messenger.
Nugache.A copies itself into the Windows system folder called MSTC.EXE, generates Windows registry entries, and opens up several ports for hackers to gain access to the infected computer. Later on it sends a instant message to all your online MSN/Windows Live Messenger contacts asking them to accept a file named ATTACHMENT, BACKUP, DETAILS, DOCUMENTS or FORWARDED.
What ever you do, do not accept any of these files as they are viruses and can harm your computer. The threat maybe low, but the virus can trigger off your computer to download more serious viruses. So if you have the virus on your computer, it may cause little damage or serious damage, depending on your circumstances.
Panda Software virus definition
Source: Mess.Be
Nugache.A copies itself into the Windows system folder called MSTC.EXE, generates Windows registry entries, and opens up several ports for hackers to gain access to the infected computer. Later on it sends a instant message to all your online MSN/Windows Live Messenger contacts asking them to accept a file named ATTACHMENT, BACKUP, DETAILS, DOCUMENTS or FORWARDED.
What ever you do, do not accept any of these files as they are viruses and can harm your computer. The threat maybe low, but the virus can trigger off your computer to download more serious viruses. So if you have the virus on your computer, it may cause little damage or serious damage, depending on your circumstances.
Panda Software virus definition Source: Mess.BeSo you found Windows Live Messenger and you want Messenger Plus! to work again. After research you discover Messenger Plus! Live is in development and released to testers and you want it. So you go to your P2P software and the like and search your heart out finding a leak. Well my friend you made a foolish mistake, any link you do find is a virus.
The virus is posing as MsgPlusLive 4.0.2006.0566, well the latest WLM version is 566, and the year is 2006 so it looks ok, but I can ensure this is not the correct version. In fact, there is no leak of the program what so ever and if there were, you would not be able to sign in. Please be careful what you find, when the program is out you can finally use it, although it maybe a while.
You really should look forward to the update, all I can say is that it is amazing and I am sure you will love it. Be careful what you download!
The virus is posing as MsgPlusLive 4.0.2006.0566, well the latest WLM version is 566, and the year is 2006 so it looks ok, but I can ensure this is not the correct version. In fact, there is no leak of the program what so ever and if there were, you would not be able to sign in. Please be careful what you find, when the program is out you can finally use it, although it maybe a while.
You really should look forward to the update, all I can say is that it is amazing and I am sure you will love it. Be careful what you download!
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