Fake AVs

[Alioth]

Hi everybody.

I have some friends who has been tricked by fake antivirus (specially Antivirus 360 and Antivirus 2009). To remove them, I thought the best program was MBAM, because I've read it had solved similar cases. However, I've looked up in the avast! virus database and I have found avast! can detect 212 (for now) trojans called "FakeAV-??".

So, my question is: can avast! remove these fake AVs or it only detect them? Is MBAM the best solution?

Thanks for any reply.

[DavidR]

The problem being that there are new variants continually sprouting up so scan with both avast followed by MBAM.

Hopefully, they have learnt a valuable lesson, never believe security alerts that don't come from your currently installed security applications. I mean how could it know your system is vulnerable or infected without having either been installed or a scan carried out, the answer is it can't and should be an automatically set your alarm bells ringing, SCAM, SCAM.

[scythe944]

I mean how could it know your system is vulnerable or infected without having either been installed or a scan carried out, the answer is it can't and should be an automatically set your alarm bells ringing, SCAM, SCAM

If only it were that easy to see for some computer users...

Oh well, hopefully they'll all wise up one day.

[YoKenny]

I mean how could it know your system is vulnerable or infected without having either been installed or a scan carried out, the answer is it can't and should be an automatically set your alarm bells ringing, SCAM, SCAM

If only it were that easy to see for some computer users...

Oh well, hopefully they'll all wise up one day.

The trouble is that the easier Internet access becomes the harder it is to get new users that know what a SCAM is and they would not even recognize one even if it came up and bit them in the a$$. 

[Mr.Agent]

Well a boot time scan you can alway try or you can alway try the other scan like quick,trought,safe,standard.......

[Alioth]

The problem being that there are new variants continually sprouting up so scan with both avast followed by MBAM.

Well a boot time scan you can alway try or you can alway try the other scan like quick,trought,safe,standard.......

Thanks, I'll do so.

The trouble is that the easier Internet access becomes the harder it is to get new users that know what a SCAM is and they would not even recognize one even if it came up and bit them in the a$$. 

Maybe it's just a special case of the maxim attributed to Arthur C. Clarke: "The intelligence of the planet is constant, and the population is growing." We just have to change "planet" to "Internet".

[Mr.Agent]

Also i see on some post that people say that recommand for scan with Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware too so if u want the link ask to DavidR he got it

Remember to got a firewall,anti spyware,anti virus and i think all should be fine i think for people help you more you should post a hijackthis logs and attach it to your reply in the end when u did remove and scan them with the thing that people recommand

[DavidR]

If you haven't already got this software (freeware), download, install, update and run it and report the findings (it should product a log file).

• 1. SUPERantispyware On-Demand only in free version.
• 2. MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, On-Demand only in free version http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/malwarebytes/mbam-setup.exe, right click on the link and select Save As or Save File (As depending on your browser), save it to a location where you can find it easily later.

[scythe944]

Also i see on some post that people say that recommand for scan with Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware too so if u want the link ask to DavidR he got it

Better yet, don't ask him, type it into google or your favorite search engine.

[DavidR]

Google can be a godsend but at times is is a double edged sword, as some google results may well point to sites that are less than trustworthy purveyors of the security software that you seek. So I don't mind posting links to trustworthy sites

[MikeBCda]

I try to make a point of always getting software, especially security-related things, directly from the publisher's site if possible.

For MBAM it's at http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php -- David's bleepingcomputer link may, of course, simply be one of the download servers to choose from when you're there, I don't remember.

[Alioth]

Thank you very much for your advices, I will keep them in mind. If I have any trouble when I am attempting to remove those fake AVs, I will notify you. Thanks again.

[Mr.Agent]

No problem Alioth we are there for that Glad you have appreciating the help. Give us any information if you fell not sure or something wrong. Maybe me or another guy will can resolve it

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

Like my post said, when you run them, report the findings (they should product a log file).

[MikeBCda]

A little off-topic here, but related to acquiring MBAM ...

My son was over here last night and complained that the free MBAM no longer existed and was now shareware.  When I took a look at the site, their descriptions are a little confusing, they offer a paid version and a free trial version.  But I'm fairly certain (without doing a fresh download/installation) that the "trial" version is simply the free home version I'm familiar with.

Considering that there were a couple of program upgrades quite recently, I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to upgrade for free (which I did successfully) if it was in fact now shareware rather than freeware.