We have all encountered this at one time or another, you’re following a link to a website from a search engine and then you get that message that chills you to the bone “ Detected security on your computer, your computer has been infected with spyware which gather’s information throught your computer (spelling mistakes and all…) …. Fix Now”
Scareware, ransomware or rogue scanner software or fraudware tricks people into purchasing and installing it on to their computer’s hard drive. The scam creates the deception that by double-clicking and installing the product through screens designed to frighten users into thinking that their computer is being attacked by dangerous viruses, malware, or ransomware and that the only solution is to download the antivirus software. If you’re lucky the software just doesn’t work as promised and you’ve lost the money that you paid for it. Other times users have mistakenly believed that they’re protecting their devices from but are actually voluntarily installing even more malicious software.
What should you do if you come across scareware? If you recognize that it’s a fake, you should shut down the browser completely and safely (Ctrl + Alt + Delete and close the browser through the task manager). Then by rebooting the computer a web browser that isn’t as susceptible to malware such as Firefox, Chrome, or Safari, the problem should be solved.
However in some cases the user panics and to click on the “X” icon to close the popup window and the malware and/or a virus is downloaded. The user’s data is stolen, and a series of popups appear that crash the computer. Clicking the “X” icon to close a rogue window designed to deceive you is the same thing as clicking the actual popup button.
Here are some helpful tips to keep you from becoming another victim.
• If you’re surfing online you have to have updated antivirus software installed with a strong firewall to ward off potential attacks
• Never open an email attachment unless it comes from a trusted source. Internet Explorer has been known to be extremely vulnerable to malware due to its failure to keep up with new features and functionality. There is even a global hacking group is that is targeting Windows hardware with malware.
• Just say no and don’t download freeware or shareware unless you trust its source. These programs typically come with spyware and/or adware.
• Don’t click on popups advertising antivirus or security software. Antivirus companies don’t use these techniques to get customers.
If you have clicked on the window, and now your computer is infected, the best thing to do is to shut it down and take it to a professional and get your hard-drive cleaned. The next thing that you should do is disconnect from the Internet or Local Area Network (LAN) and start Windows in Safe Mode.
You can run an antivirus scan to locate the malware and then remove it. Restart your computer once the malware has been removed. There’s nothing worse for your piece of mind and the overall performance of your system than an infected computer.
Summary: By following these tips you can avoid malicious software, scareware, ransomware, rogue scanner software or fraudware tricks people into purchasing and installing it on to their computer’s hard drives.
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