spyware

Threat Level: Low
Threat Type: Rouge Program

Antivirus Pro 2009 is a menace and has been infecting computers worldwide. Antivirus Pro is a fake anti-spyware program similar to AntiSpywareXP 2009 mostly affecting Windows XP systems. This fake anti-spyware automatically gets installed on your computer by displaying fake security alerts and fake warning messages.

What does Antivirus Pro 2009 do when installed?

When this fake anti-spyware gets installed, it will automatically configure once you restart or log into your system. While configuring, it would also automatically create a number of fake malwares and spyware files. These files though they are not harmless, are used to depict that your system has a huge number of malwares and spywares and it has been detected by Antivirus Pro 2009. It would then lead you to purchase it in order to remove these malwares. Read the full story

Rogue softwares or programs are fake security softwares which automatically installs malwares on an infected computer and gives fake warnings prompting users to purchase the software in order to remove those malwares.

These fake security softwares usually install a Trojan horse inorder to download a trial version of the software or create fake malwares and infect internal programs.

Infection Symptoms

Since the main goal of these softwares are to make the user purchase the software, Rogue software starts to give fake alerts scaring users to purchase the software. An usual warning window would state, “WARNING! Your computer is infected with Spyware/Adware/Viruses! Click Ok to Remove” or something similar. No matter what the user chooses, the software would get installed in your computer.

These rogue softwares ca be detected using good antispyware softwares like AVG Anti-Virus, Ad-ware SE and Avast! to name a few. Still, to remove the rogue software completely, manual removal would also be required.

Manual removal would include removing entries on registry, deleting files and folders and stopping auto run programs.

List of Top Rogue Softwares:

A list of known top Rogue softwares are listed below for your reference:

• Advanced Cleaner
• AlfaCleaner
• AntiSpyCheck 2.1
• AntiSpyStorm
• AntiSpywareExpert
• AntiSpywareMaster
• AntiSpywareSuite
• AntiSpyware Shield
• Antivermins
• Antivirgear
• Antivirus 2008
• Antivirus 2009
• Antivirus pro 2009
• AntiVirus Gold
• Antivirus Master
• Antivirus XP 2008
• Avatod Antispyware 8.0
• Awola
• Brave Sentry
• BestsellerAntivirus
• Cleanator
• ContraVirus
• Doctor Antivirus
• DriveCleaner
• Disk Knight
• EasySpywareCleaner
• Errorsafe
• free-viruscan.com
• IE Antivirus
• IEDefender
• InfeStop
• Internet Antivirus
• KVMSecure
• MacSweeper
• MalCrush 3.7
• MalwareCore
• MalwareAlarm
• Malware Bell 3.2
• MS Antivirus
• PCSecureSystem
• PC Antispy
• PC Clean Pro
• PC SpeedScan Pro
• PestTrap
• Perfect Cleaner
• PersonalAntiSpy Free
• PAL Spyware Remover
• PCPrivacytool
• PC-Antispyware
• PSGuard
• Registry Great
• Saliar
• SecurePCCleaner
• Security toolbar 7.1
• Smart Antivirus 2008
• Smart Antivirus 2009
• SpyAxe
• Spy Away
• SpyCrush
• Spydawn
• SpyGuarder
• SpyHeal
• Spylocked
• SpySheriff
• SpySpotter
• Spyware Cleaner
• Spyware Quake
• Spyware Stormer
• SpywareStrike
• Spy-Rid
• SpyWiper
• System anti virus 2008
• System Live Protect
• SystemDoctor
• Total Secure 2009
• TrustedAntivirus
• TheSpyBot
• UltimateCleaner
• VirusHeat
• Virus Isolator
• VirusProtectPro
• VirusRemover2008
• VirusRanger
• Virus Respone Lab 2009
• Virus Trigger
• Vista Antivirus 2008
• WinAntiVirus Pro 2006
• WinDefender
• WinFixer
• WinSpywareProtect
• WorldAntiSpy
• XP Antivirus
• XP AntiSpyware 2009
• Zinaps AntiSpyware 2008

May be I should have posted this a year ago.

A report submitted by Brian Krebs in Washington Post shows that Internet Explorer was unsafe and prone to security issues 284 days in 2006. Surprisingly, Mozilla Firefox was on a security threat for just nine days in the year.

The huge difference shows that Internet Explorer still could not be regarded as reliable even though it has the largest market share of 80 percent.

The detailed report by Brian Kerbs was started in 2005. Kerbs contacted nearly all researchers who had informed about the critical flaws in products by Microsoft. He also examined the dates these security trends or anomalies were found and their submissions. It has been found that Internet fraudsters had used the security flaws in Microsoft for their own benefit all round the year.

Compiled by Brian Krebs, washingtonpost.com – January 4, 2007

The first major flaw was done by organized criminals who hacked sites and placed codes which can steal passwords using spyware on systems which use Internet Explorer. Microsoft did not take this attack serious and within few days, thousands of customers were already attacked due to this spyware. Since Microsoft was stubborn, a third-party patch was created by some security experts to fix the bug until Microsoft finally developed the fix.

Again in September, hackers used an unpatched flaw in non-Microsoft web server software and installed malicious codes in a huge number of legitimate websites. Websites affected with this malicious code can infect Windows systems if a user just opens the sites using their browser. Again Microsoft was lazy enough to become serious about this huge treat and third-party patches became the savior until Microsoft issued an official update many days later.

With many more browsers coming into the market, it is time that Microsoft realizes the importance of security and gets alerted and responds promptly than ever before.