Rogue Antivirus Attacks On The Rise
At Computer Solutions, we’ve seen a spike recently in the number of customers with a type of infection on their machines called a rogue antivirus, sometimes referred to as “scareware” because it’s designed to create a sense of panic in the computer’s owner.
It appears on your screen seemingly out of nowhere, looking official and legit, and telling you that your computer is infected with somewhere between 20 and 100 infected items. Oh, and it wants you to click a button and pay a fee, usually around $60, to buy a full version of its removal tool if you ever want your system to work again. Instead, you should take a cue from The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy and “Don’t Panic.” Just call Computer Solutions at (479) 571-2388 for the cure.
In most cases, this type of bug will block your internet access to some of the most commonly visited sites, especially including ones that have real antivirus tools available for download. It may also prevent you from installing anything that can put an end to its nefarious ways.
The only 100% guaranteed method of removal for malware (malicious software) of any kind is the process we refer to as a Clean Sweep.
First we (optionally) back up any files on your computer you need to keep. Next we completely wipe the hard drive blank, removing all traces of the infection. Then we reinstall your operating system, with all the latest drivers so your devices function correctly, and include a free antivirus and anti-malware program to reduce the likelihood of future infection. Lastly, we scan your backed-up files, removing any signs of infection there, and restore the backup to your machine.
Anything short of this process, no matter how good an antivirus program may be, leaves the possibility that the virus may have left a seed-like file somewhere on your system, just waiting to sprout up again if the first one is removed.
And for all the Mac users who sleep soundly at night convinced by a smug salesperson and Apple’s holier-than-Windows ad campaigns that they just don’t get viruses or malware of any kind, you’re not immune, either.