What’s old is new again
Yesterday, Microsoft put out an advisory to a security vulnerability specific to the Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 SP2, and Windows 7 RC operating systems. No other Windows operating systems, including Windows 7 RTM are impacted.
Categories: Windows Tags: acronym, age, Alert, application, are, as, attack, attacker, attackers, attempts, back in the day, Blocking, Blogs, broadband, bsod, can, color, comp, complete control, computer, computer users, data, disclosure, Find, fire, Firewall, FREE, fun, gem, Great, holy cow, Internet, mail, malicious attackers, Micro, microsoft, Old, oversight, ports, print, quality updates, Read, REG, registry, resolutions, rtm, Security, security vulnerabilities, security vulnerability, sp2, START, system, test, the, title, Updates, use, Vista, vulnerabilities, Window, WINDOWS, windows operating system, windows operating systems, windows server, word, you
When is an antivirus really a virus?
Today I received a call from one of my external users that was unable to access any websites because some new antivirus was saying he was unprotected and every website had malicious code.
Since I know that we have McAfee 8.5 deployed to our users, I knew that this was not a McAfee issue. As we discussed it a little further he was mentioning that the Antivirus wanted him to purchase the software.
This isn’t the first I have heard of this. There is a software company Innovagest 2000 that is producing this software. They advertise it as an antispyware application, but it is the spyware. On some less then savory websites you will get a pop up that says that your computer maybe infected and they offer a free scan.
The fear of being infected motivates a lot of people to run this free scan. Unknown to them this application installs underneath and now you are stuck. On that note, I do recommend only doing the online scans from reputable sites. I personally recommend the following: Symantec, Panda, and McAfee.
This application is extremely hard to get rid of. It reregisters and installs if it is not completely uninstalled correctly.
I hate programs like this. But it is a fact of life out there. The modern day snake-oil salesman.
While the program is running you will see the following undesirable behavior:
- A “Windows Security Center” stating that you should purchase Personal Antivirus.
- Numerous alerts stating that your computer is under attack or that you have malware running on your computer. If you click on these alerts, Personal Antivirus will be installed, or you will be brought to the purchase page for the program.
- Your Internet Explorer browser will be hijacked to show security warnings when browsing the web that stop you from reaching your desired page.
As I mentioned before this bugger is very hard to get rid off. But not impossible. I found these instructions at BleepingComputer.com.
Categories: Malware Tags: age, Alert, antivirus, application, are, as, bugger, can, comp, computer, Download, downloads, external users, fact of life, fear, Files, fix, FREE, free scan, inpost, Installation, internet explorer, internet explorer browser, launch, malicious code, Malware, mcafee, online, panda, Personal Antivirus, print, program, quick, REG, registry, Review, Security, security warnings, snake oil salesman, Software, software company, spyware, symantec, the, undesirable behavior, View, virus, warning, Web, website, Welcome, WINDOWS, windows security center, you
Malware Alert — Yellowsn0w
Attention iPhone Users
ZDNet News is reporting the following Alert for iPhone Users:
Categories: Malware Tags: Alert, blog, iphone, last known address, Malware, social engineering, spambot, tactic, virus, viruses, Yellow Sn0w, Yellow Snow, ZDNet
