Personal AV 2009; the newest dirty trick utilized by spammers to get you to install and buy fake antivirus products.
How It Works:
Personal Anti-Virus 2009 is a rogue anti-spyware program created by a company named Innovagest 2000. The program advertises fake security alerts on your computer alleging that threats have been detected. Any“button” that you click on, yes, no, cancel, or x to close the window prompts a download to start which installs Personal Antivirus on your system . It may also prompt you to purchase a rogue trial version of the anti-virus software for threat removal.
Once installed, the rogue anti-virus uses highly aggravating techniques, such as changing the Windows desktop background to warn of additional supposed infections, all in hopes to push you to buy the full version of the software.
Tell Tale Sign That You Are Infected :
*An Abundance of Pop-ups warning you of a bloated amount of threats found.
How to Prevent Infection:
Follow basic security precautions, keep your bona-fide antivirus software up-to-date if you don’t have anti-virus software it’s highly recommended purchasing some, be careful with email attachments and downloads, you can significantly reduce the odds of getting infected.
If you do see pop-ups or other fake warnings from rogue AV on your computer, it’s a good idea to try to determine whether it’s from a site or from actual software installed by a bot (or by someone else who uses the PC).
What To Do If You Are Infected:
For complete removal, seek professional help. Often times, Personal Anti-Virus 2009 can and will mess up Windows system files; which may require a complete wipe and re-install of the operating system. Wipe & re-installs can be a tricky process and should be handled by an IT professional.
Contact MTI Tech Solutions today if you suspect your systems maybe infected by Personal Anti-Virus 2009.
