A fake antispyware program is making its way around the internet at an alarming pace, and it appears as or . This newest mutation of the virus includes , whereas previously it was just . The fake software can have a number of different names, depending on the operating system you are using.
If you are trying to figure out how you ended up with such a virus, the most common ways that people are infected include P2P filesharing, unmonitored e-mail downloads, and flash video codecs. The last example is usually most prominent on adult websites or websites of questionable content. Because of the onslaught of unsafe websites that are out there, I use an active scanner that alerts me as I surf if the webpages are questionable.
What matters most to you right now is how to get rid of this virus, because if left alone, it will not only make more viruses more likely, but will additionally put you at risk of data theft and possibly identity theft. You can get rid of this software, but it won’t be as easy as clicking “Add/Remove Programs”. You will either need a robust automatic removal tool, or will need to dig through your computer’s registry to fish it out yourself.
The first option is manual removal, which is only recommended for IT experts or people who are very familiar and comfortable dealing with their system’s registry. It is highly discourages for beginners to attempt manual removals. If you or a PC expert is prepared, then you will first need to kill the and/or processes, delete all associated registry keys in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\ folder, the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT folder, followed by deleting all related program and system files associated with the virus. A detailed list can be easily found if you are interested.
The method that I use myself is automatic removal. Why? Because there are no tiny errors that can be made that will render your computer useless, it’s fast and simple, and I simply don’t have the time to manually remove every virus I come across. Most of the time automatic removal gets the job done, and best of all, it protects the user’s system when the next wave of viruses hits the internet. I only recommend automatic removal programs that I have used myself.
Are you sick of worrying about viruses like ruining your computer and your security? It’s not worth pulling your hair out and risking identity theft. Remove the easy way and regain your sanity!