Rogue security software, also known as "scareware," is software that appears to be beneficial from a security perspective but provides limited or no security, generates erroneous or misleading alerts, or attempts to lure users into participating in fraudulent transactions.
How does rogue security software get on your computer:
Rogue security software designers create legitimate looking pop-up windows that advertise security update software. These windows might appear on your screen while you surf the web.
The "updates" or "alerts" in the pop-up windows call for you to take some sort of action, such as clicking to install the software, accept recommended updates, or remove unwanted viruses or spyware. When you click, the rogue security software downloads to your computer.
Rogue security software might also appear in the list of search results when you are searching for trustworthy antispyware software, so it is important to protect your computer.
If your PC is infected with such a Rogue security software,for example, Win 7 Anti-Spyware 2011 malware or something similar, let us see how to get rid of it, and free your PC from the awful clutches of this insidious malware (and many others).
Win 7 Anti-Spyware 2011 is just one of many fake antivirus applications like Antivirus Live, Advanced Virus Remover, Internet Security 2010, Security Tool, and others that hold your computer hostage until you pay their ransom money. They tell you that your PC is infected with fake viruses, and prevent you from doing anything to remove them.
This particular virus goes by a lot of names, including XP Antispyware, Win 7 Antispyware, Win 7 Internet Security 2011, Win 7 Guard, Win 7 Security, Vista Internet Security 2011, and many, many others. It’s all the same virus, but renames itself depending on your system and which strain you get infected with.
Fake Antivirus 2009 Messages vary from a fake Google Tips area displayed when visiting the Google homepage saying that "Google recommends you activate Antivirus 2009", to a simple line of text toward the top of your browser telling you that an infection was found.
If you aren’t familiar with this one, it’s time to take a look at the face of an awful scam. If you are infected, read below on how to remove it.
Once a PC is infected, it’ll display this very official-looking window, which pretends to scan your PC and find things that are infected, but of course, it’s all a lie.
The really crazy thing is that it pops up a very realistic looking Action Center window, but it’s actually the virus.
Removing Rogue Fake Antivirus Infections (General Guide)
There’s a couple of steps that you can generally follow to get rid of the majority of rogue antivirus infections, and actually most malware or spyware infections of any type. Here’s the quick steps:
- Try to use the free, portable version of SUPERAntiSpyware to remove the viruses.
- If that doesn’t work, reboot your PC into safe mode with networking (use F8 right before Windows starts to load)
- Try to use the free, portable version of SUPERAntiSpyware to remove the viruses.
- Reboot your PC and go back into safe mode with networking.
- If that doesn’t work, and safe mode is blocked, try running ComboFix. Note that I’ve not yet had to resort to this, but some of our readers have.
- Install MalwareBytes and run it, doing a full system scan. (read how to use it).
- Reboot your PC again, and run a full scan using your normal Antivirus application (we recommend Microsoft Security Essentials).
- At this point your PC is usually clean.
Those are the rules that normally work. Note that there are some malware infections that not only block safe mode, but also prevent you from doing anything at all. In most of such cases, we recommend you backup your files and install Windows from scratch and follow the below steps to protect yourself from rogue security software's in future.
To help protect yourself from rogue security software:
- Install a firewall and keep it turned on.
- Use automatic updating to keep your operating system and software up to date.
- Install antivirus and antispyware software such as Microsoft Security Essentials and keep it updated. For links to other antivirus programs that work with Microsoft, see Microsoft Help and Support List of Antivirus Vendors.
- If your antivirus software does not include antispyware software, you should install a separate antispyware program such as Windows Defender and keep it updated. (Windows Defender is available as a free download for Windows XP and is included in Windows Vista.)
- Use caution when you click links in email or on social networking websites.
- Use a standard user account instead of an administrator account.
- Familiarize yourself with common phishing scams.
