Weekly mini-blogs featuring signs you may be hacked and how to fix them.
Fake Anti-virus Warnings
Fake antivirus warnings come from malicious software that installed itself on your computer. The software generates fake warning messages for viruses you don’t have. These warnings are among the surest signs that your system has been compromised. By the time you see the fake antivirus warning the damage has been done. Clicking “No” or “Cancel” to stop the fake virus scan is too little, too late; the malicious software has already made use of unpatched software, often the Java Runtime Environment or an Adobe product, to completely exploit your system.
Why does the malicious program bother with the “antivirus warning” at all? This is because the fake scan (which always finds tons of “viruses”) is a lure to buy their product. Clicking on the provided link sends you to a professional-looking website, complete with glowing letters of recommendation. There, they ask you for your credit card number and billing information. Then the bad guys have gained complete control of your system and get your credit card banking information to boot. Don’t get tricked into providing personal financial information.
WHAT TO DO – BEFORE INFECTION
• Enable legitimate antivirus and go to their website for examples of legitimate warning screens and notifications.
• Make regular backups.
WHAT TO DO – AFTER INFECTION
1. As soon as you notice the fake antivirus warning message, power down your computer. If you need to save anything and can do it, do so. But the sooner you power off your computer the better.
2. Boot up the computer system in Safe Mode, No Networking, and try to uninstall the newly installed software. Oftentimes it can be uninstalled like a regular program.
3. Restore a system backup from a state previous to exploitation.
4. Test the computer in regular mode and make sure that the fake antivirus warnings are gone.
5. Then follow up with a complete antivirus scan. Oftentimes, the scanner will find other remnants left behind and clean those up.