MS-Word and Internet Access

[Peter Goodey]

MS-Word has suddenly started demanding internet access for no obvious reason. The site it wants is 12.158.80.10. This appears to be something to do with Verisign. Has anyone got the means to check this? Has anyone got any explanations?

So far, I've simply been blocking it whenever the firewall reports it.

[Guy Etchells]

Have you changed the prefernces to make Word the default html editor?
Cheers
Guy

[Peter Goodey]

"Have you changed the prefernces to make Word the default html editor?"

I haven't changed it but Word is set to be the defauly HTML editor and has been for a long time.

I haven't consciously changed any settings relating to Word. There has been a Windows update recently and it's hard to keep track of what's changing when updates sneak down in the background. Any program change prompts the firewall to ask about access regardless of what settings you had before.

I also use Word in Outlook and as soon as I fire up Outlook I get another message about Word wanting to access firstly the DNS and then the internet at large.

It's just done it again asking for access to another IP address - this time 64.94.110.11 - again this seems to be something to do with Verisign.

Verisign sounds fairly benign but why does Word want to go there?

I've just run the Microsoft anti-Spyware software and that's not thrown anything up.

[Mark]

Maybe there's an embedded image link in the document(s) you're opening in Word and it's trying to get the image from the website.

Mark

[Peter Goodey]

It happens without loading any document. It could only be the default template and I've just double checked that there's nothing funny about that. Security is set not to run any macros without asking.

The attempt to access the internet occurs even before Word has finished displaying the toolbar.

[Neil Wilson]

My thoughts are -----
Have you signed up for a digital ID in your Outlook? If you have, this could be linked in with Word seeing you are using it with Outlook.
Not sure if that will answer it but if it won't someone will enlighten us.

[Mark]

Maybe one of your verisign certificates has expired and any affected application is trying to grab a new copy.

Mark

[Ed Bradford]

Peter, earlier this year Microsoft had an article posted on their homepage concerning adware and spyware, how to remove it and prevent it. In the article they stated that one antispyware program, even theirs, may not be enough to prevent or remove infections. They suggested using at least three to keep spyware and adware at bay and to use as a removal tool in case one slips in. I'm currently using MS Antispyware (Beta) and SpyBot S&D. At one time, I also used Yahoo's antispyware, but it seemd to conflict with the MS Antispyware so I removed it. I can't say that I'm now always free of infection but I am able to remove any that sneak in. When my grandchildren come to visit and I used to let them use my computer, I always seem to find spyware and/or adware on it after they leave. Since the last episode, I've built a computer for them to use and lock mine up.

I tell you this because you seem pretty astute when it comes to working with computers and wouldn't arbitrarily make changes without some fore thought. When ever I have strange goings on like you're having, I usually cure the problem by running all of the spyware scans I have at my disposal. It seems that each program finds something different and none of them will find it all. By the way, you're probably already aware; there are two levels of scans in MS Antispyware (Beta). I'd reccommend running the deeper scan if you haven't done so.

Also, I run XP as an operating system, MSWord as a word processor and Norton antispyware version 2003. I keep all of them up to date.

.............Ed

[Peter Goodey]

I'm back after a couple of days break...Thanks for the thought Ed. I've carried out full checks using AVG, MS Anti-Spyware, SpyBot and AdAware. All negative (except for a few cookies).

Looking more closely at the newsgroups, I saw a suggestion about changing the IE option to "Check for publisher's certificate revocation". I've cleared the option so that it shouldn't happen. Lo and behold - MS Word no longer asks for internet access!

So the irritating firewall message no longer appears. I ought to be happy (it seems to have proved that there wasn't any spyware involved and that it was happening correctly in line with the options that used to be set).

Whether it was a good idea or not to change the option, I don't know.:confused:

[arthurk]

Looking more closely at the newsgroups, I saw a suggestion about changing the IE option to "Check for publisher's certificate revocation". I've cleared the option so that it shouldn't happen. Lo and behold - MS Word no longer asks for internet access!

So the irritating firewall message no longer appears. I ought to be happy (it seems to have proved that there wasn't any spyware involved and that it was happening correctly in line with the options that used to be set).

Whether it was a good idea or not to change the option, I don't know.:confused:
I'm not an expert, Peter, but I see that I have this unchecked. When I first set up this computer I changed a few of the IE options, but as I haven't much of a clue what this one is about, I think I would have left it as I found it. So maybe it's something to do with the Windows update you mentioned? (Or Word itself, which I don't have.)

Arthur
(but please don't rely only on what I say)

[Dennis Harker]

Peter,

Verisign is used by many sites when you purchase items online. Maybe even CD Archives uses this. It forms part of the secure server system, using encryption to keep your credit card and other personal details secure. It can also be used for other sites where you may input personal information.

With the option to check these security certificates set in IE it should give you some reassurance that such websites still have a valid certificate. i.e. Verisign is still a trusted and approved certificate by IE. I would imagine that your Windows update has caused some of the info in IE to be reset and it is simply trying to get to the site and check that the security certificate is still valid.

With the option unchecked then your copy of IE will not check these certificates and so some of the reassurance may be lost. If it was my PC I would let the system check the Verisign certificate so that IE can say yes or no that it is still current or not - however, it is not my PC so it might be worth you checking this out on the Microsoft knowledge base.

I do know that after certain program updates my firewall (Kerio) needs reassurance that everything is still okay and will often ask permission for updated programs to have internet access even though they were given the access in the previous version.

[Peter Goodey]

Yes, as it looks as if it should be fairly benign, I was thinking of allowing it through to see whether it just checks once or tries to check repeatedly. I suspect the latter.

There was an incident (a Verisign failure) a while back when forged Microsoft authenticity certificates appeared. When this was discovered, revocation (ie cancellation) certificates were immediately issued but by then thousands of users had been fooled. Since then, it appears that Microsoft have been keen to ensure that revocation certificates are checked. I imagine that to be effective this would have to be done regularly and not only once per update.

At least, those are my conclusions.

[Chasing Caseys]

Glad yours is sorted Peter but, what i dont understand is ...........how you can use your pc as normal, go to bed, switch on again the next morning and you have troubles, things have changed with out any of us touching a button, why ? ! What happens over night ? I tried uninstaling Norton recently as i no longer use it and it was telling me i had to sign in as administrator ? I am administrator ! I have had to go deep into the bowels of my pc to remove it with the guidence of a IT person. Most of us are not IT literate and i remember asking a question as to why my digits on my screen had suddenly appeared large and Peter answered with a simple solution. Everyone with IT experience (or otherwise) made me panic saying i had problems with this that and the other !when all i needed to do was press control and slide the wheel of my mouse and presto back to normal ! a tip i have passed on.

Why do these changes happen ?

[Peter Goodey]

Tracey

Don't forget PCs do have minds of their own! ;)

I used to have a reasonable grasp of all this but as technology moves on, I'm feeling less and less sure of things.

The only things that occur to me are perhaps you have something set to run at 3 in the morning or whenever and something changed. Otherwise perhaps Windows update ran automatically when you weren't looking and didn't work properly.

Basically, I'm rambling and don't really know. Anyone else? :o

[Ed Bradford]

Peter, I agree with you. It's possible that the problem was down loaded or occurred the previous day and didn't take effect until the computer was booted the following day. If the computer is left on overnight it could be something that was automatically down loaded during the night. ..............Ed

[Chasing Caseys]

Hello Peter

If it wasnt for your original advice i would be wearing glasses by now ;)

Ed
I dont know what my pc is programmed to do when i am asleep ! I do kinow that i have set certain things to update when they sugested it ? ! and i just click yes !

Just very very occasionally things DO happen over night and i wonder why. Then spend huge amounts of time on the phone at premium rate asking why ;)