Windows Vista Blog » Windows Vista Features

AV Security Suite

Windows vista — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:53:19 +0000

With so many people getting infected with AV Security Suite I wanted to do a shout out to a few sites that have some very solid information on how to remove this threat.

www.removeavsecuritysuite.com :� This Remove Av Security Suite website is by far the leading resource for removing this threat.� They have detailed guides and videos that cover XP, Vista and Windows 7

The other resource out there that has many user comments is from the same makers as the above site but only it’s dedicated to all viruses and not just specific threats.� This AV Security Suite site was the original guide and still works great.� They do not go into as much detail but most users will still find it helpful.

Paladin Antivirus Removal

virus removal man — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 05:19:28 +0000

Related to the well-known fake anti-spyware Malware Defense, Paladin Antivirus is a rogue antivirus program that tries to lure users into buying its software license. It reaches a user�s computer through Trojan viruses and other malware programs. Once installed, it tries to get the user to uninstall any legitimate antivirus programs that are on the system by giving the user a fake warning of an unauthorized antivirus program being present on the user�s system. Paladin Antivirus also performs fake scans of the user�s system, generating false reports stating that a myriad of invented viruses are present on the computer. It also gives false warnings that the computer is about to be attacked by a remote host. Paladin Antivirus repeatedly urges the user to purchase the �full� version of the software, claiming that the currently installed �trial� version is insufficient to remove all the detected �threats�. It is important not to fall for this trick as the �full� version of this rogue software is just as incapable of scanning any system as the �trial� version.

The process of Paladin Antivirus removal involves the killing of processes, unregistering of DLLs, deletion of files and folders and removal of registry entries.

File Removal Procedures

The first step in Paladin Antivirus removal is to kill the following processes:

pav.exe
uninstall.exe

Next, it is necessary to unregister the following DLL files:

pavext.dll
phook.dll

As the final step of file removal, delete the following files and folders:

c:\Program Files\Paladin Antivirus
c:\Program Files\Paladin Antivirus\help.ico
c:\Program Files\Paladin Antivirus\pav.db
c:\Program Files\Paladin Antivirus\pav.exe
c:\Program Files\Paladin Antivirus\pavext.dll
c:\Program Files\Paladin Antivirus\phook.dll
c:\Program Files\Paladin Antivirus\uninstall.exe
%UserProfile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Paladin Antivirus.lnk
%UserProfile%\Desktop\Paladin Antivirus Support.lnk
%UserProfile%\Desktop\Paladin Antivirus.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Paladin Antivirus
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Paladin Antivirus\Paladin Antivirus Support.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Paladin Antivirus\Paladin Antivirus.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Paladin Antivirus\Uninstall Paladin Antivirus.lnk

Once you have completed these steps, Paladin Antivirus no longer resides on your file system.

Registry Removal Procedures

As the final step in Paladin Antivirus removal, the following keys and settings should also be deleted from the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Paladin Antivirus
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Paladin Antivirus

Once the registry is clean, Paladin Antivirus removal is complete. At this moment it is recommended to conduct a full system scan using legitimate antivirus software such as Spyware Doctor with Antivirus in order to avoid the risk of letting additional malware infections reside on your system.

Conclusion

Manual Paladin Antivirus removal is not recommended for inexperienced users, as any mistake on your part during removal could cause damage to the system. The best route to take for inexperienced users to get rid of this rouge software is to use a web-based repair service such as www.onlinecomputerrepair.org.

Antivirus System Pro

Windows vista — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:59:13 +0000

Antivirus System Pro is known as a rogue anti-spyware application that is distributed with the use of Trojans, fake online security scanners and browser based exploits. Also, in some cases, Antivirus System Pro is distributed by direct manual download due to the fact that users get tricked by online advertisements from various misleading websites. Once installed, Antivirus System Pro will start displaying various security notifications designed to scare users in order to more easily trick them into purchasing the licensed version of the software.

Due to the fact that Antivirus System Pro is a fake security application that does more harm rather then any good, proper removal of this software should be turned into a priority once the presence of this software is detected. In order to properly remove Antivirus System Pro and all of its related components it is required to first shutdown the main executable process related to this application. By using Windows Task Manager, the process “sysguard.exe” should be located and disabled in order to facilitate easier removal of Antivirus System Pro.

Once the main executable file has been stopped from execution the DLL “iehelper.dll” should be unregistered as it is a file that serves in the functionality of Antivirus System Pro. As a result, the files “sysguard.exe” and “iehelper.dll” should be located and deleted. At this stage, even if Antivirus System Pro is not running and a large portion of its functionality has been disabled there may still be malicious software running on the PC, malware that has originally installed Antivirus System Pro.

In order to ensure the fact that there is no way for Antivirus System Pro to affect the operating system ever again it is recommended to conduct a full system antivirus scan by using a genuine product such as Spyware Doctor with Antivirus. Additionally, once a full sweep of the operating system has been done and all malicious software removed it is safe to say that the task to remove Antivirus System Pro has been completed.

Even if it is possible to manually remove Antivirus System Pro without effecting the operating system core functionality and configurations it is recommended to use expert technical support when dealing with a malware infection. For this reason, when the necessity to remove Antivirus System Pro turns into a requirement the expert technicians at www.onlinecomputerrepair.org can help in a record amount of time.

Keepcop

Windows vista — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:55:23 +0000

Keepcop is a rogue anti-spyware application distributed with the use of malicious software as well as forged security websites that try to look as genuine as possible in order to trick PC users into downloading the executable package. This fake security application is from the same family as WiniSoft and it is considered to be a clone of LinkSafeness or SecureKeeper. The only real goal of Keepcop is to trick PC users into purchasing the application.

Once installed, in order to obtain its main goal, Keepcop displays false security warnings, forged system scan results and various notifications that are designed to create an insure feeling at end user level. Once the application has displayed a significant amount of exaggerated security warnings it will ask for payment in order to fix all problems. Do not purchase this scam software. Instead, concentrate on every step required to remove Keepcop and all adjacent malware that may have been installed on the PC as part of this event.

When looking forward to a manual removal of Keepcop it is recommended to first end all related executable processes in order to be able to remove the files from disk. While using Windows Task Manager, locate and stop the process named “KeepCop.exe”. Additionally, the process “302z0spam9ot5a3.exe” and “uninstall.exe” should also be stopped as they are part of the executable files designed to insure the presence of Keepcop on an infected PC.

Once the processes have been stopped it is required to delete the respective files from disk. In order to do so, all the contents of the file structure located at “C:\Program Files\KeepCop Software” should be deleted. A complete antivirus scan using Spyware Doctor with Antivirus will insure the fact that there are no additional files or adjacent infection left.

Even if manual process required to remove Keepcop can be followed by just about any PC user it is recommended to benefit from expert technical support in order to make sure that no additional operating system damage is done. In order to remove Keepcop under expert guidance it is required to fill and submit the form located on the homepage of the website www.onlinecomputerrepair.org as soon as this rogue antispyware product is detected.

Privacy Center

Windows vista — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:53:38 +0000

Privacy Center is a rogue antispyware software product used to scam PC users into purchasing a virtually non-existent licensed version. Privacy Center is very similar to another application named Privacy Components, an older rogue security program designed to accomplish the same objective: stealing money and private information from infected computer systems.

In most cases, Privacy Center is installed by malware and with the use of browser exploits or various security vulnerabilities, without user consent or permission. The most usual infection scenario is accompanied by the download of a fake codec pack that has the misleading application attached to its installer. For this reason it is recommended to remove Privacy Center as once installed it will slow down the PC with fake security warnings while changing browser behavior and constantly requesting payment in order to obtain its scam based objective.

In order to remove Privacy Center it is recommended to first end its primary processes. The executable files “agent.exe”, “pc.exe”, “uninstall.exe”, “openvpn.exe” and “tapinstall.exe” must be stopped from running in order to allow proper removal of the rogue application. After these processes have been stopped it is required to delete the entire contents of the folder structure located at “c:\Program Files\Privacy center”, depending on the drive letter according to the operating system setup.

Even if key elements have been deleted, the complete removal of Privacy Center can proof to be problematic, especially if the PC is infected with other forms of malware that have served as a beachhead for the rogue security product to be installed. For this reason it would be wise to first scan the entire computer with the help of a genuine antivirus such as Spyware Doctor with Antivirus in order to make sure that Privacy Center will not be installed again.

While Privacy Center removal is a task that should be not taken lightly, the expert support of a seasoned technician could be all that is required in order to save time and money over the long run. In case you have not been on our site before we do recommend this computer repair company. The name is www.onlinecomputerrepair.org and they do very good work.

Remove Secure Keeper

Windows vista — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:49:58 +0000

Secure Keeper is a rogue anti-spyware application designed to trick PC users into purchasing the licensed version of the software. However, it is not recommended to purchase the application as it will literally rip off both money and private data. Once the application’s presence has been noticed it is recommended to do everything necessary to remove Secure Keeper in order to make sure that private information and operating system performance are preserved.

In order to completely remove Secure Keeper and all associated files it is required to first end all tasks that are related to this rogue application. While using Windows Task Manager the processes “SecureKeeper.exe”, “10939spam5oz722.exe” and “uninstall.exe” must be stopped. Immediately after the processes are ended the files from the path located at “C:\Program Files\SecureKeeper Software” and “C:\Program Files\SecureKeeper Software\SecureKeeper” can be safely removed. Additionally, a full computer scan using a legitimate antivirus product such as Spyware Doctor with Antivirus is recommended in order to make sure that no additional malicious software is present in the system.

Even if all processes known as being associated with Secure Keeper has been stopped and their files removed, there are still various configurations and settings that should be restored and managed in order to void all effects of the rogue security product’s presence. For this purposes, expert guidance is recommended in order to make sure that no critical operating system components and features are affected.

When looking for expert technical support in order to completely remove Secure Keeper the anti-malware experts from www.onlinecomputerrepair.org can fully remove this threat for you for a very low price.

While manual procedures required to remove Secure Keeper are not complicated and can be done by virtually anyone with minimum PC experience, the many different variants of Secure Keeper and similar rogue security products makes it difficult to properly locate and terminate the correct files and registry keys.