Malwarebytes - Not just a clever pun!

If you have ever seen a pop up windows on your computer warning that your PC is infected, proceed with caution. You may fall victim to “rogue” security software with names like “Antivirus 2009.” This and other rogue programs are scams to get you to give up your credit card and purchase fake software to remove a virus that doesn’t exist. The software or web site ads try to trick you into thinking your PC is infected and you need to download their program to fix it. Even more insidious, they often take the look of Microsoft’s Security Center to appear “official”.

The good news is you don’t need to be a tech to get rid of these programs. Simply download and run Malwarebytes from www.malwarebytes.org. And yes, it’s free! Malwarebytes is a program designed to get rid of spyware, adware, trojans and other nasty things that infect your PC. The free version is a cleaner only (so it doesn’t include a real time scanner like most common antivirus programs) but does a remarkable job in getting rid of junk off your PC. It takes only a few minutes to download, install, and update the program. Once installed simply run the quick scan first, it will usually remove any malware. If your PC is really in bad shape, run the full scan. The full version of Malwarebytes includes real time protection and scheduled scans and updates. The price for one license is $24.95.

So why didn’t your existing antivirus program catch the “Antivirus 2009” adware? Your antivirus program may not consider that a “virus.” These rogue programs scare you into downloading and installing them while your regular antivirus software believes you are installing a program you actually want. If your antivirus software is not up to date it may not detect these new threats.

As always, if you have any questions, give us a call!

Mike Tanney
HLP Associates, Inc.
www.hlp.net