A warning about a 'soft' fake antivirus

[MT Hazard]

You may be aware of a fake anti virus program issuing virus alerts and prompting people to download the program.

Below is a list of names this program has been giving itself and the webpages/webcomics I encountered it.

Softguard

Softveteran - book of biff

This is not a complete list and neither does it mean that any webpages that it has appeared should be avoided, just bear it in mind.

So far I have avoided problems by just pressing the back button or closing the window before it can try and download anything.

Please add details of any encounters you have had with this Malware below so that others can be prepared.

[Tapewolf]

What platforms and architectures does it target?

[MT Hazard]

I have only experienced it using firefox on a windows xp set up but that does mean it others are safe. It seems to try and minimise firefox when it happens, I'm not sure if it is being forced to ask you if you want to download and other browsers would just let it through.

[Alondro]

Ah yes, I saw that one and guessed what it was.

I instantly shut down the program and did two virus scans immediately!  Fortunately, it didn't get me. 

[Passive]

Code Select Expand

[hapless]

That looks quite like an AVG v. pre-8 result window... I assume that's the fake ad?

[MT Hazard]

The ones I've getting have more of a 'windows' look to them, I'll get a screen shot next time I see it. However as the names are slightly different so it the appearance.

[Valynth]

rule of thumb:  if you don't recognize the program (as in:  you're the one who installed it) and it claims you have viruses, it's the virus.

[superluser]

rule of thumb:  if you don't recognize the program (as in:  you're the one who installed it) and it claims you have viruses, it's the virus.

Tell that to my mom, who *didn't* install the program, and who has in the past clicked on the ``Your computer now has 3,000 viruses'' banners (isn't that from Conficker?).

[Valynth]

rule of thumb:  if you don't recognize the program (as in:  you're the one who installed it) and it claims you have viruses, it's the virus.

Tell that to my mom, who *didn't* install the program, and who has in the past clicked on the ``Your computer now has 3,000 viruses'' banners (isn't that from Conficker?).

I'm just glad I finally have a computer separate from my folks, everyday there's about 350 or so viruses on theirs.  My new computer hasn't had a virus yet.

[MT Hazard]

Do they have the same problem my dad has? He seems to have blind spot as far as having an anti-virus program is concerned and didn't feel we needed one a while back, now he's very slow to update or renew.