Internet antivirus scam

[RJDiogenes]

I've gotten infected with variations of this a couple of times in the past month or so; I think it came from an ad at deviantArt. You can Google dedicated (free) utilities to remove it, but you'll also have to run Malwarbytes (and preferably at least one or two other anti-malware programs). You might also have to manually delete some files and edit your registry. It took me most of a Sunday a few weeks ago to get rid of the thing.

 

[BlobVanDam]

I was getting this kind of thing on a bunch of Google image search links only a couple of days ago. It was always redirecting to the same url though, and I never actually let the page load, but I assume it was that same page template. It seemed that the pages that redirected to it were from the same few domains though, so I don't believe it has anything to do with my computer already being infected, and I ran a manual scan afterwards just to be sure and it was clean. Kaspersky is damn good at blocking crap, and it didn't bleep at me when I clicked the link, so I don't think it had a chance to try anything.

But these fake antivirus scams are getting ridiculous, and they do manage to get past virus scanners, and they can be tricky to get rid of, which I unfortunately know first hand. In fact, that's what prompted me to ditch free anti-virus scanners and pay for Kaspersky instead.

Virus scanners won't catch it unless they also have anti-malware modules, and most don't unless you pay a premium price. If you bought Kaspersky, you're paying $70 a year for something Microsoft Security Essentials + Anti-Malware Bytes will do for free. They'll also take fewer system resources to do it, too.

It's Kaspersky Internet Security, and it is designed to detect malware, so no problem there.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware couldn't get rid of the fake antivirus thing when I got it on my computer (although it at least detected it), but Kaspersky got rid of it no problem (I didn't have Kaspersky installed when I got infected, otherwise it probably would have blocked it before it got through).
The reason Kaspersky uses more resources is because it is a tank for realtime protection. Anti-Malware doesn't do realtime, so it won't stop stuff getting on your PC (unless I'm mistaken? I seem to recall that being a paid feature). I've never tried Microsoft Security Essentials, so I can't comment on that, but I've heard good things.
But a lot of the faster scanners are faster because they take shortcuts in what they scan, and also because they're not as tied into the realtime processes of the computer. Kaspersky is definitely a resource hog (!), but it's a fair tradeoff for the protection it gives.

I only recall paying about $55 for a year, and I feel it's been worth it. I used many of the free scanners, and I lost confidence in them after I got infected. Maybe with the right combo like you suggested I could be equally secure, but I'm at the very least getting the same level of protection with Kaspersky, and I don't mind paying the extra for it.

 

[Amaris]

I was getting this kind of thing on a bunch of Google image search links only a couple of days ago. It was always redirecting to the same url though, and I never actually let the page load, but I assume it was that same page template. It seemed that the pages that redirected to it were from the same few domains though, so I don't believe it has anything to do with my computer already being infected, and I ran a manual scan afterwards just to be sure and it was clean. Kaspersky is damn good at blocking crap, and it didn't bleep at me when I clicked the link, so I don't think it had a chance to try anything.

But these fake antivirus scams are getting ridiculous, and they do manage to get past virus scanners, and they can be tricky to get rid of, which I unfortunately know first hand. In fact, that's what prompted me to ditch free anti-virus scanners and pay for Kaspersky instead.

Virus scanners won't catch it unless they also have anti-malware modules, and most don't unless you pay a premium price. If you bought Kaspersky, you're paying $70 a year for something Microsoft Security Essentials + Anti-Malware Bytes will do for free. They'll also take fewer system resources to do it, too.

It's Kaspersky Internet Security, and it is designed to detect malware, so no problem there.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware couldn't get rid of the fake antivirus thing when I got it on my computer (although it at least detected it), but Kaspersky got rid of it no problem (I didn't have Kaspersky installed when I got infected, otherwise it probably would have blocked it before it got through).
The reason Kaspersky uses more resources is because it is a tank for realtime protection. Anti-Malware doesn't do realtime, so it won't stop stuff getting on your PC (unless I'm mistaken? I seem to recall that being a paid feature). I've never tried Microsoft Security Essentials, so I can't comment on that, but I've heard good things.
But a lot of the faster scanners are faster because they take shortcuts in what they scan, and also because they're not as tied into the realtime processes of the computer. Kaspersky is definitely a resource hog (!), but it's a fair tradeoff for the protection it gives.

I only recall paying about $55 for a year, and I feel it's been worth it. I used many of the free scanners, and I lost confidence in them after I got infected. Maybe with the right combo like you suggested I could be equally secure, but I'm at the very least getting the same level of protection with Kaspersky, and I don't mind paying the extra for it.

Microsoft Security Essentials uses real time protection, and yes, many of these newer malware applications would absolutely blow right through Kaspersky. Kaspersky's good, but it's not great, and it's not impenetrable. The newer iterations of these malware programs deactivate all malware and antivirus protection the moment they take hold. You get a warning from your PC right about the time the sucker kicks it into high gear, and I'm seeing more of that lately whether it be AVG, AntiVir, Avast!, Norton, McAfee, TrendMicro and, yes, Kaspersky, which isn't any more special than the free Microsoft Security Essentials suite or Anti-Malware Bytes. Yes, Anti-Malware Bytes and MSE can be circumvented, I've seen it. However, a few little tweaks in Safe Mode and you're back in business, and you've done it without throwing your money away.

I mean, if you're happy, you're happy, but it doesn't mean you're well protected.

 

[Jadzia]

Jadzia, if you've been redirected that many times just since the weekend, it sounds like you're already infected. I had something similar late last year and it was a real pain to eliminate. It wouldn't let my real virus scanners run either.

Thank-you for your concern, but I believe those redirects were internet based, and not virus based. Probably 90% of them happen in google image search.

I use my apple laptop exclusively for internet because it is relatively immune to viruses. I never connect my windows computers to the internet.

 

[BlobVanDam]

Virus scanners won't catch it unless they also have anti-malware modules, and most don't unless you pay a premium price. If you bought Kaspersky, you're paying $70 a year for something Microsoft Security Essentials + Anti-Malware Bytes will do for free. They'll also take fewer system resources to do it, too.

It's Kaspersky Internet Security, and it is designed to detect malware, so no problem there.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware couldn't get rid of the fake antivirus thing when I got it on my computer (although it at least detected it), but Kaspersky got rid of it no problem (I didn't have Kaspersky installed when I got infected, otherwise it probably would have blocked it before it got through).
The reason Kaspersky uses more resources is because it is a tank for realtime protection. Anti-Malware doesn't do realtime, so it won't stop stuff getting on your PC (unless I'm mistaken? I seem to recall that being a paid feature). I've never tried Microsoft Security Essentials, so I can't comment on that, but I've heard good things.
But a lot of the faster scanners are faster because they take shortcuts in what they scan, and also because they're not as tied into the realtime processes of the computer. Kaspersky is definitely a resource hog (!), but it's a fair tradeoff for the protection it gives.

I only recall paying about $55 for a year, and I feel it's been worth it. I used many of the free scanners, and I lost confidence in them after I got infected. Maybe with the right combo like you suggested I could be equally secure, but I'm at the very least getting the same level of protection with Kaspersky, and I don't mind paying the extra for it.

Microsoft Security Essentials uses real time protection, and yes, many of these newer malware applications would absolutely blow right through Kaspersky. Kaspersky's good, but it's not great, and it's not impenetrable. The newer iterations of these malware programs deactivate all malware and antivirus protection the moment they take hold. You get a warning from your PC right about the time the sucker kicks it into high gear, and I'm seeing more of that lately whether it be AVG, AntiVir, Avast!, Norton, McAfee, TrendMicro and, yes, Kaspersky, which isn't any more special than the free Microsoft Security Essentials suite or Anti-Malware Bytes. Yes, Anti-Malware Bytes and MSE can be circumvented, I've seen it. However, a few little tweaks in Safe Mode and you're back in business, and you've done it without throwing your money away.

I mean, if you're happy, you're happy, but it doesn't mean you're well protected.

If you think it's throwing my money away to buy a good dedicated antivirus protection for my computer, fair enough, as it's my money being spent, but I'm also not missing out on anything you're getting for free either. I've seen Anti Malware Bytes fail miserably where Kaspersky has breezed through, and AVG doesn't even deserve to call itself virus protection anymore with how far it has fallen behind, and to lump Kaspersky together with those free programs would be underestimating it's value.
It is worth the money imo. Is the difference worth $55 a year vs $0 for the increase in protection? Maybe not, that's personal decision. There's a big difference in cost when you can get most of the way there for free. I have no delusions that it's infallible, but I also know from experience that it's well ahead of any free alternative I've tried.

Hopefully we can at least agree that the best protection is just common sense. I'm not sure how well even the best virus software would do if you were an idiot falling for every internet scam, but if you have a decent virus scanner and some common sense, you'll keep fairly protected. Nobody should be relying on their scanner alone to keep them protected. They should be a last line of defense, and not the first.

 

[farmkid]

Yeah, I've seen that one.

I once was also hit with a similar but much nastier antivirus-scam virus that my antiviral software couldn't handle. I had to take my computer to the shop to get it disinfected.

You can always disinfect it yourself with a hacksaw or a large hammer.

 

[Amaris]

It's Kaspersky Internet Security, and it is designed to detect malware, so no problem there.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware couldn't get rid of the fake antivirus thing when I got it on my computer (although it at least detected it), but Kaspersky got rid of it no problem (I didn't have Kaspersky installed when I got infected, otherwise it probably would have blocked it before it got through).
The reason Kaspersky uses more resources is because it is a tank for realtime protection. Anti-Malware doesn't do realtime, so it won't stop stuff getting on your PC (unless I'm mistaken? I seem to recall that being a paid feature). I've never tried Microsoft Security Essentials, so I can't comment on that, but I've heard good things.
But a lot of the faster scanners are faster because they take shortcuts in what they scan, and also because they're not as tied into the realtime processes of the computer. Kaspersky is definitely a resource hog (!), but it's a fair tradeoff for the protection it gives.

I only recall paying about $55 for a year, and I feel it's been worth it. I used many of the free scanners, and I lost confidence in them after I got infected. Maybe with the right combo like you suggested I could be equally secure, but I'm at the very least getting the same level of protection with Kaspersky, and I don't mind paying the extra for it.

Microsoft Security Essentials uses real time protection, and yes, many of these newer malware applications would absolutely blow right through Kaspersky. Kaspersky's good, but it's not great, and it's not impenetrable. The newer iterations of these malware programs deactivate all malware and antivirus protection the moment they take hold. You get a warning from your PC right about the time the sucker kicks it into high gear, and I'm seeing more of that lately whether it be AVG, AntiVir, Avast!, Norton, McAfee, TrendMicro and, yes, Kaspersky, which isn't any more special than the free Microsoft Security Essentials suite or Anti-Malware Bytes. Yes, Anti-Malware Bytes and MSE can be circumvented, I've seen it. However, a few little tweaks in Safe Mode and you're back in business, and you've done it without throwing your money away.

I mean, if you're happy, you're happy, but it doesn't mean you're well protected.

If you think it's throwing my money away to buy a good dedicated antivirus protection for my computer, fair enough, as it's my money being spent, but I'm also not missing out on anything you're getting for free either. I've seen Anti Malware Bytes fail miserably where Kaspersky has breezed through, and AVG doesn't even deserve to call itself virus protection anymore with how far it has fallen behind, and to lump Kaspersky together with those free programs would be underestimating it's value.
It is worth the money imo. Is the difference worth $55 a year vs $0 for the increase in protection? Maybe not, that's personal decision. There's a big difference in cost when you can get most of the way there for free. I have no delusions that it's infallible, but I also know from experience that it's well ahead of any free alternative I've tried.

Hopefully we can at least agree that the best protection is just common sense. I'm not sure how well even the best virus software would do if you were an idiot falling for every internet scam, but if you have a decent virus scanner and some common sense, you'll keep fairly protected. Nobody should be relying on their scanner alone to keep them protected. They should be a last line of defense, and not the first.

Okay.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Yeah, I've seen that one.

I once was also hit with a similar but much nastier antivirus-scam virus that my antiviral software couldn't handle. I had to take my computer to the shop to get it disinfected.

You can always disinfect it yourself with a hacksaw or a large hammer.

Well played.