Windows Vista Beta | WinVistaBeta.com - Message | unknown people adding me to contacts

November 20, 2008  
Subject: unknown people adding me to contacts
Group: microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger
Date: 9/1/2008 7:50:01 AM
From: =?Utf-8?B?cHV0aHA=?= [Email Address Protection]

hi,

in the last few weeks 5 or 6 very random email addresses have added me to
their msn contacts list. obviously, i blocked them immediately and so did not
add them to my contacts list.

they tend to be unusual names, such as Maura, Stella, Wilda, the type you
usually associate with spam... having said that, thankfully my hotmail
account does not actually get any spam mail usually

1. can anyone tell me why this is happening?

2. if i was to accidentally add one of them in future, would that make it
possible for them to send me viruses through Messenger?

i did have the virtumonde virus a few weeks ago, but thats been cleaned up now

thankyou

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Subject: Re: unknown people adding me to contacts
Group: microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger
Date: 9/1/2008 7:26:06 PM
From: "Jonathan Kay [MVP]" [Email Address Protection]

"Bob Lucas" <bob@nospam.com> wrote in message news:#g1LcZFDJHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> To protect against all unwanted intrusion, open WLMessenger and click on Tools | Options |
> Privacy. Then, tick the box marked "Only people on my Allow list can see my status and
> send me messages".

That won't stop people from adding you I'm afraid.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
(c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this signature or citation
--




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Subject: Re: unknown people adding me to contacts
Group: microsoft.public.windows.live.messenger
Date: 9/2/2008 2:25:17 AM
From: "Bob Lucas" [Email Address Protection]

"Jonathan Kay [MVP]" <msnewsreplies@jonathankay.com> wrote in message
news:uBvsFNKDJHA.4884@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "Bob Lucas" <bob@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:#g1LcZFDJHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> To protect against all unwanted intrusion, open WLMessenger and click
>> on Tools | Options | Privacy. Then, tick the box marked "Only people
>> on my Allow list can see my status and send me messages".
>
> That won't stop people from adding you I'm afraid.
>
> --
> Jonathan Kay
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger
> MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
> MessengerGeek Blog: http://www.messengergeek.com
> Messenger Resources: http://messenger.jonathankay.com
> (c) 2008 Jonathan Kay - If redistributing, you must include this
> signature or citation
> --
>
>
>


I agree entirely, although it does mean that the attempt to add my
identity will be ineffective - because it prevents the "attacker" from
seeing the user's status or sending messages from the outset.

However, I am concerned about the motives behind these "attacks" - which
always emanate from Live identities based upon Hotmail addresses. At
the very minimum, Microsoft should provide an easy reporting mechanism -
and should terminate the Live identities / Hotmail accounts of
perpetrators.


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