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VIRUS WARNING JUNE 2010 - AVSOFT Virus

In the last several day, the GGCWEB Computer Repair Office at 74B South Main Street in Kilmarnock (804-435-6909) has been inundated with a flood of computer users who have fallen for a FAKE VIRUS ALERT.

The typical scenario is that user is on line when a balloon popup appears similar to the one below informing the user their computer may be infected with viruses and to "click here" to perform a scan of their system.  "Click Here" actually installs the virus. 

According to McAfee:

"This Binary is Trojan Fake alert. As the name implies, this Trojan gives fake alerts to the compromised user system. It creates a mirage as if the user system is severely affected when it actually is not. Then it will give fake balloon tips which when clicked will ask the compromised user to buy fake antivirus software.

FakeAlert-AVSoft will silently install and run a virus scan on the system. It will falsely claim that it found viruses and will require the user to register the product to clean the system.

• Gives fake alert as if the system is severely infected.
• Registry modification
• Tricks the user and prompts them to buy the fake antivirus software"

After giving you the impressing your computer is seriously infected, it will try to get you to buy their "antivirus" program, which also is a malware program.  So not only are you being prompted to infect your computer with a virus, you are being asked to pay for it also.

Go to the McAfee site HERE to read the entire details and see sample screen shots of this virus

WHAT TO DO ...

If you get this popup, DO NOT "click here". 

If in doubt as to what you should do, call GGCWEB at 804-435-6909 before you take any action. 

If it's too late and you already "clicked here", then call us we can arrange to get your computer viruses removed and back in working order.

TIP FOR DETECTING FAKE MESSAGES

Read the initial message C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y.  Read the message at least 3 times.

1.  Read the message for grammar and spelling.  If the English is poor or there are spelling mistakes, that is a very strong clue the message is a fake.  [The balloon message above says:  "Click here for the scan you computer"]

2.  Read the message for understanding.  Make sure the message is actually telling you what you think it is telling you.  [The balloon message above gives conflicting information - "computer is infected" "scan you computer" "might be at risk" - which is it?]

3.  Read the message for coherence.  This messages says your computer is infected with a virus, but then goes off to describe the purpose of antivirus programs.  Question:  Why the advertisement for antivirus software in the middle of a "threat"?

Then the message asks you to click to scan your system. Question: Why do you have to manually select "scan" your system, when the Antivirus program should have been running in the background all along.  

Additionally, the warning should have come from YOUR antivirus program with the program's logo (AVG, McAFEE, NORTON, etc.) displayed, not some unnamed balloon popup.

Don't forget, if you tried to buy the "antivirus" program with a credit card, you may have also compromised your credit card.  Monitor your credit card transaction report closely for unauthorized charges.