Messenger
Contents |
General Information
This service provides the ability to send messages between clients and servers. This service does not need to be running under normal “home” conditions. It is also advisable to make this service go away to avoid the possibility of “net send” messages hitting your computer from the internet. After the installation of Service Pack 2, this service is set from Automatic to Disabled by default. This has nothing to do with MSN Messenger, nor is it “WinPopUp.”
To test for this security vulnerability, at the command prompt, (run: cmd.exe) type:
net send 127.0.0.1 hi
If you get a popup “hi” message, you should disable the Messenger service.
If you get an error stating, “The message alias could not be found on the network,” you are safe.
If, for whatever reason, you need the Messenger service running but wish not to have spam popups active, you can disable the particular ports at your firewall. The Messenger service uses UDP ports 135, 137, and 138; TCP ports 135, 139, and 445.
Windows XP Pro x64
Default Description
Transmits net send and Alerter service messages between clients and servers. This service is not related to Windows Messenger. If this service is stopped, Alerter messages will not be transmitted. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Additional Information
None at this time.
Default Startup Type
| OS | SP0 | SP1 | SP2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| XP Pro x64 | ? | ? | Disabled |
Service Names
Service Name (registry): Messenger
Display Name: Messenger
Default Path and Command Line Options
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
Log On As
Account: Local System Account
Dependencies
What service Messenger needs to function properly:
- NetBIOS Interface
- Plug and Play
- Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
- Workstation
What other service require Messenger to function properly:
- None
Windows XP
Default Description
Transmits net send and Alerter service messages between clients and servers. This service is not related to Windows Messenger. If this service is stopped, Alerter messages will not be transmitted. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Additional Information
None at this time.
Default Startup Type
| OS | SP0 | SP1 | SP2 | SP3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XP Home | ? | ? | Disabled | Disabled |
| XP MCE 2005 | ? | ? | Disabled | Disabled |
| XP Pro | ? | ? | Disabled | Disabled |
| XP Tablet PC 2005 | ? | ? | Disabled | Disabled |
Service Names
Service Name (registry): Messenger
Display Name: Messenger
Default Path and Command Line Options
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
Log On As
Account: Local System Account
Dependencies
What service Messenger needs to function properly:
- NetBIOS Interface (H, M, P, T)
- Plug and Play (H, M, P, T)
- Remote Procedure Call (RPC) (H, M, P, T)
- Workstation (H, M, P, T)
What other service require Messenger to function properly:
- None (H, M, P, T)
Additional Reading
None at this time.