What is Rogue Anti-Virus and How to Remove It

Rogue Anti-virus applications are being produced in ever increasing numbers each week now. Why? This is a scam that works big time! Rogue Anti-Virus scams are able to steal money, credit card numbers and sometimes entire identities.
Below you can see the life cycle of a Rogue Anti-Virus scam.
1. You get infected with a Trojan like Virtumonde (via an outdated Java Runtime Environment).
2. The Virtumonde Trojan displays fake system alerts (in the form of system balloon popups), uses popunders and search redirection in your browser in an effort to convince you that your PC is infected and can only be cleaned with "special anti-virus software".
3. At this point the user is in a panic and proceeds to purchase the rogue anti-virus.
4. Now the really bad part starts. The poor pc user just paid $30-$90 AND gave their identity with valid credit card info to an international ring of thieves.
5. Next, the rogue anti-virus gets installed, run and then does nothing. Our user just got duped.
6. Now, the user must hire a consultant (like myself) to clean the rogue anti-virus and all the other infections associated with it.
I see so many clients with Rogue Anti-Virus infections each week. Typically, about 1 out of 7 of my clients will purchase the Rogue Anti-Virus application and then they usually see numerous credit card charges about 3 weeks later (that's before I get there). I usually instruct clients to cancel the credit card they used to purchase the Rogue Anti-virus and purchase some identity protection (for a year at least).
Thankfully removing Rogue Anti-Virus is really pretty easy; however the Trojans that downloaded and installed the Rogue Anti-Virus are sometimes very difficult to remove. They are 2 methods I use to remove Rogue Anti-Virus. One method is free and the other costs about 40 dollars.
Method 1: The free, but a bit difficult method
The best part about this method is that it's free. It targets the Rogue Anti-Virus and the other malware associated with it. You'll need 4 applications.
1. AVG Anti-Virus Free V8
2. SuperAntiSpyware
3. MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware
4. Spybot Search and Destroy
First, uninstall your current anti-virus since it's not doing the job anyway. We will be installing a new anti-virus (AVG Anti-Virus Version 8) which you can start doing right now. After AVG 8 is installed and updated please go ahead and install the remaining 3 applications. Be sure to update each application after you install it (each application has an update menu or button).
Reboot your PC in safe mode (by tapping F8 during your PC's startup). Once in safemode perform full scans with the 4 applications above (in that order). Quarantine anything considered an infection. Reboot. Your Rogue Anti-Virus has probably been removed along with the Trojans that downloaded it. If you're using IE7 or IE8 make sure you perform a reset on the browser as well.
Method 2: The easy method, but it's not free
Download Spyware Doctor with Anti-virus. Uninstall your old anti-virus. Install Spyware Doctor with Anti-virus and register it. Click yes to enable the OnAccess Guard and then click Smart Update. Download and install all the updates. Run a Full Scan and then fix everything the scan finds. Reboot. Your Rogue Anti-Virus has probably been removed along with the Trojans that downloaded it. If your using IE7 or IE8 make sure you perform a reset on the browser as well.
Final Malware Clean Up Notes
If you have system menus that are missing or inaccessible ComboFix does a really good job at restoring those. Download ComboFix. Disable Spyware Doctor or AVG. Run ComboFix. Let ComboFix reboot your PC. Re-enable your anti-virus. At this point you should be malware free.

Antivirus Software for Mobile Devices

These days, mostly everyone knows they must protect themselves from viruses, trojans, worms, and other types of malware on their home computers and laptops. But few people have given much thought to protecting themselves on their mobile devices, including cell phone, iPads, and other notebook or tablet computers.
Mobile device virus and malware problems are still in their infancy, but the first cell phone virus was found in 2004. And mobile devices have vulnerabilities that are just as problematic as the problems that can be found on laptop and desktop computers. And in some ways, these vulnerabilities are made more serious by the fact that these devices often contain sensitive information. Given the fact that these devices are easily left behind, easily misplaced and subject to falling into the wrong hands, users should take into consideration ways to protect both their data and their identity.
Cell phones and other devices have become more than just ways of making phone calls and they function as more than just electronic address books. They contain photos, mp3s, sensitive business information and a vast array of other private data. Emails that come to mobile devices often contain sensitive attachments. Losing one of these devices brings up privacy concerns as well as concerns about data loss that is of a sentimental, rather than private nature.
Antivirus software for mobile devices takes into consideration all of these things and can protect from viruses, trojan horses, and malware, as well as to help protect from the data and privacy concerns due to losing or misplacing a device and even from the device becoming damaged. Most of the antiviruses for cell phone applications also provide protection for personal data.
When seeking solutions to these problems, look for these features:
1. Look for software that uses a minimum amount of resources, since you don't want to slow your device down
2. Find a solution that scans incoming email, MMS, SMS as well as your email attachments
3. Protects against network attacks
4. Automatic virus protection updates
5. Firewall
You can also find antivirus solutions that provide even more robust protection against the consequences of lost devices, including features like these:
1. Parental controls
2. Help locating a lost or stolen cell phone (using Google map coordinates)
3. Prevent unauthorized spam MMS and SMS
4. Hides contacts or other information from unauthorized users
5. Block calls and texts from particular numbers or users
6. Anti-theft protection which blocks unauthorized users from using your phone in the event that it was stolen
Some antivirus for mobile applications will let you turn on privacy control remotely, in case your device is lost or stolen. Also, the same technology that can help you find your phone when it's lost, can also help you track your child, which is a very important safety feature for parents.
Though mobile worms and viruses are still relatively uncommon, there are many reasons why you should set up your cell phone and other mobile devices to have protection against data loss, device loss, and other potential problems that could arise.

How To Remove The Fake AVG Antivirus 2011 Infection

The Fake AVG Antivirus 2011 is what's known as a 'Fake Antivirus' that mimics legitimate antivirus programs but instead of protecting people's computers from trojans, viruses and lethal infections, it is the infection and so it begins to take over your computer without you knowing at all. The virus works by randomly appearing on your desktop and looks to be scanning your computer and once the scan has finished it will always with no exceptions that it has found infections, viruses, trojans, malware and adware and many other types of infection. This is all part of the convincing stage that tries to gain your trust so that the next part will have no hesitation from you.
The virus works by secretly infecting your computer via means of email, spam, infected websites or infected links. Normally these kinds of viruses can be hidden on the likes of adult websites that have lots of pop-ups or links on the page and so you might click on a link and then the virus immediately starts to download and install itself on your computer. Another common way is through email, and you may think that your email address is safe but you are wrong. Many websites that persuade you to sign up to their email lists will then sell that list to criminals who will then email you spam and infected links that may contain viruses e.g. Fake AVG Antivirus.
Fake antiviruses are unfortunately becoming increasingly common, which is why we need to protect ourselves and become aware of their attributes and what to look out for and how to remove them. One way to spot a fake antivirus on your system is if you are on your computer and suddenly a program appears and looks to be scanning your computer. You should only trust programs that you have actually installed on your computer especially security programs. It is useful to have a list of programs that you have on your computer so you can check if anything like this happens to you. Another way to spot a fake antivirus is if you are working and everything suddenly stops and programs start to close down. This is because the virus is beginning to block computer processes that are being sent so it can take over.
In order to remove the Fake AVG Antivirus it is recommended that you follow the steps outline below:
Firstly it is recommended that you download a program called Frontline Rogue Remover to a computer that isn't infected with the virus because it would not be able to work because the virus would block the program. Frontline Rogue Remover has been built especially for the removal of fake antivirus infections. Once you have downloaded and installed it on your computer (that isn't infected) follow the instructions that are displayed.
Next it is highly recommended that you perform a full scan of your computer's registry to check for any damages or impurities that may be lying in the database. The registry is a virtual database that stores incredibly sensitive information in hierarchical order that is crucial for your computer's day to day functionality and if it were to be disturbed or altered in anyway then the consequences could lead to your computer being damaged or corrupted, which could eventually lead to a full system failure.

The Best Antivirus Programs

More users are logging into the Internet every day and malware coders are coming up with new ways to infect computers with harmful code that allows these coders to access critical personal data or delete or corrupt hidden files. Some of the viruses on the Internet are hard to avoid and they can spread by means of removable media, Instant messaging applications, and through local networks. Fortunately, there are other developers and companies that strive to boost desktop security by making antivirus solutions. Some companies have been around for a while and continue to update their antiviruses to keep up with the latest threats. Here are some of the best antivirus programs that you can try out.
Microsoft Security Essentials
Microsoft Security Essentials is considered one of the best free antivirus solutions out there because of its good integration with Windows operating system. It uses the Windows Update service every few days so Microsoft Security Essentials has the most up-to-date virus definitions. It also ensures that the virus engine is the latest. The software also has a low footprint so systems with 1 GB RAM and other netbooks can run just fine. The interface is also simple to use. Considering Microsoft's late entry to the virus scanning division, the software giant has done a great job keeping customers that are clueless about virus scanners in check. It integrates nicely with the Windows Firewall and it pretty much has the features of the older Windows Defender.
AVG Anti-Virus 2011
Although Microsoft is looking to be a huge contender in the antivirus market, AVG still continues as being one of the best antivirus scanners out there. The scanner is often praised for its high speed of removing different kinds of malware and taking the most desirable action on infected files. It sports a familiar user interface that many AVG users recognize and remains free although there is an Internet Security version that promises more protection by providing social networking protection, shopping protection, and spam protection.
Avast! Anti-Virus
Avast! Is another popular antivirus solution that ranks right up there with the other best free antivirus solutions. It released version 5.0 early 2010 which provides a very different interface. Although the scanning speed is a bit on the slow side, the user interface is much better and it is highly efficient in taking out malware and preventing further intrusions when the real-time scanner is activated.
The best antivirus programs in general are the ones that do not require any costly subscription fees. What matters is that these programs provide the desktop security that home and business users need so they can browse the Internet or access files from other sources with confidence. The virus scanner will immediately be active as soon as you successfully install the application. Only one of these virus scanners need to be installed so try out each one and uninstall the previous virus scanner when you want to change. In modern desktops and laptops, installing one of these programs should not impact the system performance at all.

How To Choose The Best Antivirus Software?

In the present Internet world, if your computer is unprotected, it is not only vulnerable rather it is already infected. There are various computer viruses, spyware, Trojans and malware that are created every day. In addition, the virus landscape has also changed dramatically - viruses that were used to be annoying pranks have significantly evolved into serious threats, which are capable of not only destroying your computer hardware, but stealing of your valuable information and identity as well.

In order to protect your computer from these serious threats, you need the best antivirus software. Well, the electronic market today is flooded with numerous antiviruses and every brand claims to be the best. How will your select the best virus protection tool? Though it seems a tough task, but if you keep certain things in mind, you can definitely pick the best tool out of the numerous options.

There are various important points that you need to consider while buying an antivirus software for your compute or laptop device.

Scope of Protection:

Though most security tools claim to have multi-layered protection, some are definitely more thorough than others. The best antivirus software will include conventional protection from threats such as viruses, Trojans, worms, and spyware, but the tool also includes defense from keyloggers, e-mail borne threats, phishing scams and rootkits, etc.

Efficiency:

Since virus protections tools are designed to protect from threats so if they don't work well then what's the use of them. Therefore, it is advisable to first read antivirus reviews on different brands and then choose the best one to suit your protection demands. Antivirus software reviews provide a fair idea about which tool you should choose.

Easy installation and setup procedure:

Antivirus software should not be hard to install. The setup procedure must be easy so that you could run the protection tool without any hassle.

Easy to use:

Many people think that antivirus software is a complex thing to run. And it is true, because many such tools possess complex features, which a layman cannot understand. Therefore, the tool must be easy so that a beginner can also install and run all the features without any problem.

Features:

Features are again one of the most vital points that you must consider. However, the features associated with the tool must be well-rounded.

Updates

Security software must possess update feature. Viruses are identified and added to databases every time. Therefore, it is important that the virus definition lists updates in the same manner. Today's best antivirus software tools are well equipped with automatic updates and don't even slow down your computer.

Help and Support Facility:

Today's antivirus software comes with an in-depth manual and provides easy solutions to the user. In addition, support features are also provided. Many leading companies offer 27x7 support via live chat, email, or phone.

So, if you want your computer to be protected from viruses and other threats then look for the most effective best antivirus software tool by considering all the above points in your mind.

How To Remove Sality Virus

The signs that my computer was infected by this virus are:

• My computer slows down.
• Some programs do not work well, some can not even use.
• Task Manager doesn't work
• Antivirus is not working
• Last... and the worse... I cannot go to Windows.

So... this Sality virus (which attacked my computer was P variant) is attacking the Program files (with exe type). And because it's attacking the exe file, the program will not run, including antivirus, because the antivirus has the exe type. When I reformat the hard-drive... the virus is keep coming back again.Before that i did not think that my computer got a sality virus... because the antivirus was not working. My first thought is that i have to reinstall the antivirus. But after i reinstall the antivirus still does not solve the problem. And then I tried several antivirus:

• AVG... can not be install
• PCMAV (Indonesian antivirus) the latest version... didn't work
• Avira... the installer didn't work.

And then I tried some other antivirus, from this antiviruses I knew that a virus which attacked my computer is Sality/P.variant, although these antiviruses can detected the virus but it can not clean the virus. Some of the antivirus that I used are:

• Smadav 2010 (Indonesian Antivirus) can only detect the virus.
• PCMAV Ekspress for Sality (Indonesia Antivirus) can only detect the virus.
• Avast... can delete the virus... but because i fear will destroy my programs so... I didn't use it.

Do Registry Cleaners Work With All Types of Antiviruses?

Many computer users are concerned about the declining PC speed. While registry cleaners are the only effective option to eliminate the problem, these users cannot make up their mind whether to use them or not. These users think that these registry cleaning softwares would not work effectively along with the antivirus that is installed in the machine, or that they may hamper the activity of other useful applications. But this is just a misconception and it is preventing many users from taking the best step. If you are one of those people, then you should learn more about the registry cleaning softwares.
Antiviruses are just like any other applications but just have more access to the computer security and the operating system's core. These applications also have the ability to govern the access of other applications. The registry cleaning softwares obviously need to access and modify the registry in order to keep the system fast and make it better. But sometimes the antivirus can misinterpret the actions of the registry cleaners and consider them threatening to the system's security. But the registry cleaners will actually work with all types of antiviruses and they can both run effectively if you take some simple steps.
The first thing to do to make the registry cleaners work with all types of antiviruses is to install the registry fixing and cleaning software before installing the antivirus. This will help the registry software understand the function of the antivirus. Installing the antivirus later would help the antivirus get a better picture of the system's security as the registry cleaner will have the settings already configured. The combination of the registry cleaner and a good antivirus will help you make your PC faster and keep it safe from any virus or malware attack. You can rest assured that the combination will work fine.

Best Free Computer Virus Removal Programs

On the internet, people are looking for best free computer virus removal programs to remove virus from their computer. The reason behind this is that many famous anti-virus programs like McAfee, Symantec, etc come at a price. Many a times it happens that people are not usually happy with the performance of such anti-virus primarily because of the high price of these anti-viruses. It also noticed that over a period of time these programs also slow down the performance of the computer.
One of the best ways to make your computer free from virus is to make use of the free computer virus removal programs. Such antivirus programs are easily available on the internet and can be downloaded without any cost. These antiviruses do not put much load on the performance of your computer. Even though you do not visit any unsolicited page, it is very important to install an antivirus on your computer. There has been alarming instances of identity theft all over the world just because people have not been making correct use of their antivirus.
Whenever you make use of antivirus make sure you download and install the latest edition of the antivirus. After installation, you must run the antivirus program and update it. All antiviruses have automatic update option; this option will keep your virus definition updated. After this, you may scan your computer for viruses. If you find any virus in your computer, you may delete the file or repair it or quarantine it.
Some of the famous free virus removal programs are AVG Antivirus, Avast! Home Edition, Comodo antivirus and Clam antivirus. Just because these antiviruses are available for free, do not think they are not used by many users. Some of these ant viruses are hot favorites across the globe.

Antivirus Firewall Software - How to Select the Best One for Your Computer

There's a reason why your computer is called a personal computer, it's because you attach so much of yourself to your computer. You have your entire office work, leisure items and products, family stuff, photographs, schedules, phone numbers, email etc all on your computer. When you depend so heavily on a certain machine it becomes imperative for you to care about its protection. You never know how or when your computer may become sick and catch a virus! However this does happen, and when it does you may end up losing all your important work and documents. Hence it is always the best to keep an antivirus shield on always.
You may have to select your antivirus depending on the type of work performed on your computer. There are many ways of inflicting harmful viruses onto your computer. They can be downloaded via the internet, transferred via a pen or external hard disk, etc. if you are constantly downloading stuff onto your compute you may require using a more powerful versions of the anti viruses available. You must have an antivirus that deals with not only eradicating the viruses completely, but it must also stop the viruses from multiplying and leaving behind any traces.
You can download them freely from the internet. You may have to use a search engine to locate such files. However these free versions are less potent. You may require constant upgrading to be completely secure. You may also purchase a finer and more capable version from these websites.
Antiviruses are extremely important if you value your computer. They protect the computer from all damage that virus can cause. If you have a computer that you see often, be wise and get the best antivirus there is.

Are Free Antivirus Programs Reliable?

Every minute around the world today, computer viruses are making copies of themselves and infecting many computers worldwide. Because of so many viruses that are now lurking all around you, many antiviruses are also flourishing to counter the viruses and protect your computer. Many free downloadable antivirus firewall software applications are available for download with just a few clicks. Are these free antiviruses really that reliable?
Some of these free antiviruses are just trial versions that usually work for a certain number of days (e.g., 30-day trials) or have limited features unlike the real deal from the market. Some limited versions only offer the most essential functions but also make upgrading to a full version very easy to do.
Free versions may ignore some viruses and spyware, or even install spyware themselves. Check the license agreement because it usually indicates whether the program also installs spyware or some mild form of spyware. It is best to visit the official website of the antivirus program and download from there instead of visiting unofficial sites that offer free antivirus programs that may persuade you to download program infected with a virus itself.
To know its reliability, consider some aspects such as effectiveness, user-friendly features, virus definition updates, scanning engine updates or upgrades, real-time scanning, and so on. Check what protection the antivirus program offers and whether the product is capable of coping with the latest computer threats because what would be the use of the program if it cannot defend your computer with the up and coming threats.
According to most reviews, there are five antivirus firewall software applications which have proven their reliability among their users. So, you might want to try their free versions prior to purchasing a licensed version. The most relied-on free versions include Avira AntiVir Personal and Alwil Avast Antivirus Home. AVG 8.5 Free is also popularly used, as are Microsoft Security Essentials Beta and PC Tools Antivirus Free Edition.
In a world where almost everything is controlled by microchips and computers, you must learn how to protect yourself and your computer. Whether you use a licensed version or a free-but-limited-in-features version of an antivirus firewall software application, you should only go for a product that is reliable, secure, easy to use, and up-to-date.

Antivirus Slow on a Computer - Why is My Antivirus Slow and How to Speed Up Computer Programs

Is your antivirus software running slow in your computer? There can be two reasons behind this. It could be either the corruption in the program itself or the software has been loaded with hundreds of thousands of virus detection definitions during the update process making it less fast to load. Most antiviruses are prone to run slower and eat up a lot of computer resources. It is generally observed that people who use an antivirus software also use a good registry cleaner software to speed up their computers.

It is not a hidden fact that anti viruses produce a slowing effect in the computer. If you are asking how can I speed up my computer then you should follow the guidelines given here.

First of all make it sure that you are using the right program which really deserves to be protecting your system. Some antiviruses are a great mess for us because they are really lazy in performing their job. Not only that they are slow but also some of the softwares are not able to completely get rid of the dangerous viruses. For instance the antiviruses and antispywares may not be able to clean the virus and spyware effect from the Windows Registry. Windows Registry is a very important part of the operating system and it is the central place to store information in form of registry keys.

To completely clean the virus effect from your system it is very important to clean Windows registry. Fixing the registry will not only prevent your PC from crashes and errors but it will also deal with the slowing effect caused by the computer security softwares.

Another thing you should do to make your PC programs run faster is to remove the excessive start up items and unused programs. Similarly you may uninstall and then reinstall your antivirus software if it is running very slow.

However, the easy way to increase PC speed is to use a comprehensive registry cleaning solution.

The recommended tool to speed up computer is RegInOut as referred by many experts.

Are you really worried why is antivirus slow on your laptop/computer? If yes, then you should try RegInOut and optimize your system.

Ensuring That Your Antivirus Is Functional

What good would it serve you to have the best antivirus firewall software installed on your computer but not having it work? It is crucial that you test your antivirus installation and check that it does work.
An antivirus firewall software program is very important in your computer as it serves as your protector against computer threats. Continuous threat detection is a must to ensure that your system and your personal information is malware free and possible identity theft is very slim. That is why the best antivirus should always be functional to be able to do its task.
After installation, some antiviruses may not automatically detect or scan certain files, so it is best to make sure whether your antivirus does work or not. There may also be times when you just realize that the antivirus that you have been relying on actually stopped working. Checking the functionality of your antivirus program is quick and easy. Read on for tips on how to check.
The European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research (EICAR) has set a standard way for testing the functionality of any antivirus software product. The process requires the creation of a dummy virus, which is not an actual virus. It just contains a string of characters that, when examined by an antivirus program, will be detected as a real virus.
To create the dummy virus file (called the EICAR anti-malware test file), you need to open your favorite text editor. Yes, the test file is in plain text. Use Notepad or some other text editor. Copy and paste the following string of characters: X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H* into your new text file, making sure you don't insert additional characters, spaces, or line breaks into the string. Save the file not as plain text. Instead, try a different extension such as COM or EXE. Most antiviruses exclude plain text files in scanning for viruses, so it is important that you save the test file with a different file extension.
If your antivirus has real-time protection enabled, it should be able to automatically detect this dummy virus. But, in case you disabled the real time protection of your antivirus, then manually run a scan for this specific file. You will know that your antivirus program is working if it detects the EICAR anti-malware test file.
Remember that even if your antivirus is considered the best antivirus firewall software in town, it will be helpless in protecting you from malware if it is non-functional. Therefore, always use the EICAR anti-malware test to check for functionality.