What is fake antivirus?
Recently the so-called fake antiviruses become more and more popular. They are the programs, which masking as antivirus software, pretend they delete viruses or actually delete them, but instead they install their malicious software.
Fake antiviruses can spread via exploit or mask as an ordinary document. But more often the users install such software on the computer by themselves, being sure that they got and installed state-of-the-art antivirus.
Fake antiviruses operate the users fear: the site could inform the user that his computer is infected and offers him to install or buy the program, which will cure it.
In order to attract the user's attention, fake antiviruses are often given names similar to real antiviruses: e.g. Security Essentials, which definitely imitates the famous antivirus Microsoft Security Essentials. Fake antiviruses can also be distributed via partner networks that receive some payment for each successful installation.
According to Google data for 2010, half of the malicious software, as well as 11 thousand of domains, belong to fake antivirus software.
Main features of fake antivirus
We should single out main features, using which the user can identify a fake antivirus. There're 5 of them:
1. Feature of fake antivirus – demonstration and cure through the web! It's impossible, since the browser works in a way that the site has no access to the computer files.
2. Real antivirus never guarantees 100% cure. The caught virus is first researched by antivirus specialists and then gets to the database.
3. Earnest developer won't ask for money to delete viruses. Money is taken for additional functions: update, Firewall etc.
4. Mind the licensed agreement: fake antivirus can have shortcomings, e.g. signs of "entertainment software" or the fact that the user pays for "tech support".
5. The developer of real antivirus always offers different ways to contact with him: mail, phone, Skype, ICQ etc. The user should always have a possibility to contact directly the developer of his antivirus software.
What harm could be caused by fake antivirus?
- Account theft
- Blocking of operating system
- Operation of the computer power
- Asking for charity donations
- Simulation of viruses detection: the program informs that the computer is unprotected and ask to register it for recovery
- Installation of real viruses, "blue screen imitation", destabilization of operating system work
- Overprice: antivirus can be real, but you should pay for it every quarter , so you need to use calculations, read terms and conditions etc.