ITSS News
Fake AV software
03.04.09: We have seen a marked increase in the number of fake anti-virus installations on computers on the University network. These programs are disguised as legitimate antivirus tools, often offering false scans or creating pop-up windows which warn users that their systems are 'infected'. Once the user installs it, the fake AV programs prompt the user to purchase additional "security" products, and some also are used to collect credit card info and other private data.
There are many versions of fake AV software roaming the Internet, including Windows AntiVirus, Windows AntiVirus 2008, AntiVirus Lab 2009, Antispyware Pro, AntiVirus XP 2008, and AVG 360. Below is a screen shot of the fake "AntiVirus XP 2008".
If you have installed any of these malicious programs on your computer, you should take steps to remove them now.
For University-owned computers, we recommend bringing the computer to the ITSS TechCenter to have a full virus/malware scan.
If you wish to try to remove it on your own:
- You can try running a Symantec scan: Symantec: AntiVirusXP2008 Removal.
- You can try downloading and running a scan using the Malwarebytes software: malwarebytes.com.
Remember that the University has a site license for Symantec AntiVirus software that covers students, faculty and staff personal computers, as well as University-owned computers. For more information or to download the software, see: Symantec Anti-virus and Client Security.