Preventing Rogue Antivirus Programs

Rogue antivirus programs are malware that pretend to be antivirus programs. They are currently one of the major threats confronting my clients. They appear in searches and catch people who are worried about viruses or simply trying to renew their current antivirus program. Often they penetrate legitimate sites and popup fake virus warnings even if you don't click on anything. They may install if you click their Cancel Button, or even the X to close the window.

The following tips should help you to avoid them:

Do NOT click on any popup that advertises antivirus or antispyware software. Fake antivirus programs often mimic well-known brands. If you renew a program be careful you are going to the correct place.
Although fake security software may closely resemble the real thing, it's rarely an exact match. Look for suspicious discrepancies. Be paranoid. They are out to get you!
Seek expert advise when choosing antivirus or anti-malware programs. Do not accept the advice of unknown "review" sites.
If a virus alert appears on your screen, and you cannot verify that it comes from your own antivirus program, do NOT click on it with your mouse to attempt to close or cancel it. Instead, on your keyboard press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open task manager. Select the browser (e.g. FireFox, etc.) that just displayed the alert and click End Task. This will safely close the browser.

Date: September 2010

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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Home Forms About Current Newsletter subscribe Search All Articles Browse by Category Security Internet Mobile Business Hardware Fun		Preventing Rogue Antivirus Programs Rogue antivirus programs are malware that pretend to be antivirus programs. They are currently one of the major threats confronting my clients. They appear in searches and catch people who are worried about viruses or simply trying to renew their current antivirus program. Often they penetrate legitimate sites and popup fake virus warnings even if you don't click on anything. They may install if you click their Cancel Button, or even the X to close the window. The following tips should help you to avoid them: Do NOT click on any popup that advertises antivirus or antispyware software. Fake antivirus programs often mimic well-known brands. If you renew a program be careful you are going to the correct place. Although fake security software may closely resemble the real thing, it's rarely an exact match. Look for suspicious discrepancies. Be paranoid. They are out to get you! Seek expert advise when choosing antivirus or anti-malware programs. Do not accept the advice of unknown "review" sites. If a virus alert appears on your screen, and you cannot verify that it comes from your own antivirus program, do NOT click on it with your mouse to attempt to close or cancel it. Instead, on your keyboard press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open task manager. Select the browser (e.g. FireFox, etc.) that just displayed the alert and click End Task. This will safely close the browser. Date: September 2010 This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
		I attempt to provide reliable information, but make no warranty as to the accuracy or safety of these articles. I disclaim all legal responsibility for what following these instructions may do. Follow my advice at your own risk