The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to air concerns
over external party exploitation of a service in Microsoft's
Windows software that is designed to allow network administrators
to send notices to users.
The Windows Messenger Service, which is normally used for
sending information such as messages that print jobs have been
completed, is being targeted by third parties to send pop-up
spam.
The problem can even arise when consumers are using other
applications, such as word processing, while connected to the
Internet, the FTC said in a statement.
The FTC said that a press conference this week will address
consumer concerns about the service and provide details on how
consumers can avoid the problem.
Last month, Microsoft executives announced that they had plans
to disable the Messenger Service on Windows XP machines and
activate the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) by default to
protect computers from the attacks.
The changes are slated for release in Windows XP Service Pack 2.
Company representatives have said, however, that they have not
ruled out the possibility of shutting down the service earlier.
Enough users have been reporting the pop-up spam problem that
Microsoft internet rival America Online (AOL) has even gone so far
as to shut off the Windows Messenger Service feature of AOL
subscribers without informing them ahead of time.
AOL said its call centers began receiving a large number of
complaints about the problem last year, soon after spammers
discovered that they could exploit the feature.
In a separate case, the FTC has filed suit against D Squared
Solutions for allegedly using Windows' messenger feature,
which is intended for administrative alerts, to barrage users with
pop-up ads for its product.
The FTC charges D Squared and two of its officers with unfair
use of Windows Messenger Service and with unfair attempts to coerce
consumers into purchasing D Squared's software.
Those officers could not be reached for comment.
Scarlet Pruitt and Stacy Cowley write for IDG News
Service