SaveDefender

By Kristopher , 20 Sep 2009

SaveDefender screenshot SaveDefender’s makers have a unique approach to naming their malware, which also include SoftSafeness, TrustWarrior, BlockDefense, and SafetyKeeper. Take two words—or in the experimental case of QuickHealCleaner, three words—that sound either nice or security-oriented, and jam them together into one odd-sounding but vaguely antispyware-ish name.

Just like the others, SaveDefender enters your computer as a Trojan horse and immediately begins its process of annoying you out of your skull. First, a SaveDefender pop-up displays a fake system scan and tells you that you have “704 Infections Detected.” Then, it warns you about the various things these objects will lead to, such as “Annoying advertisements wasting your traffic,” “Criminals will steal your personal data,” and “Cyber thieves get access to credit card.” This is actually a pretty accurate self-portrait, only SaveDefender is the “infection” that’ll do these things. Even worse, Save Defender creates a system tray icon that periodically pops up to say,

“Spyware Alert! Your computer is infected with spyware. It could damage your critical files or expose your private data on the Internet. Click here to register your copy of SaveDefender and remove spyware threats from your PC.”

The makers of SaveDefender are the “cyber thieves” and the criminals who “will steal your personal data” and annoy you with SaveDefender alerts. Don’t fall into their trap. Keep your money as far from these people as possible.

If this badware is starting to give you doubts about this whole Internet thing, I’ll show you how to remove SaveDefender, for free.

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TrustWarrior

By Kristopher , 17 Sep 2009

TrustWarrior screenshot TrustWarrior is scareware styled to look like trust-worthy security software. Like its badware buddies SoftSafeness and SafetyKeeper, TrustWarrior sneaks onto your computer via a Trojan. TrustWarrior nestles into your registry, so it’ll start up faux system scans when your system boots. TrustWarrior’ll swear you’re infected with all sorts of obscure badware. Sound suspicious? Go fig, TrustWarrior is right — only because TrustWarrior installed these “badware” files on your PC.

Those TrustWarrior files are mostly junk — they probably won’t do any more damage than TrustWarrior alone. So you don’t need to buy TrustWarrior to remove these files. But don’t tell TrustWarrior that — it’ll keep trying to convince you to waste cash on its “full” version, through TrustWarrior popups and spoof system alerts and Windows Security Center popups. If you click any of these TrustWarrior alerts, you’ll be tricked into blowing dough on TrustWarrior.

You may be tempted to throw money at TrustWarrior and hope it’ll go away, but likely it won’t. And, just as likely, you may see strange charges on your credit card later (call your bank if you bought TrustWarrior).

Let me save you some sanity, time, and money, and show you how to uninstall TrustWarrior for free.

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Windows PC Defender

By Kristopher , 16 Sep 2009

Windows PC Defender screenshot Windows PC Defender is just a repackaged version of recent malware pests Windows Guard Pro, Windows System Suite, Windows Additional Guard, and Windows Protection Suite. Like those fake applications, Windows PC Defender uses a blatantly Windows-y design to trick web users into thinking it’s legit. The annoying truth is that there’s nothing stopping malware makers from slapping the Windows name on whatever junky scareware they unleash on the world. You’d think Microsoft would use its infinite might to squash these web-vermin, but badware makers can be hard to track.

But Windows PC Defender popups are pretty open and obvious. Windows PC Defender pop-ups appear when you’re surfing the web, and they display a phony “Sample Scan” that results in “20 potential threats found.” Then, it creates a bunch of nonexistent threats with names like “Trojan-PSW.Win32.Hooker” and “Virus.BAT.Gray.705” and says you need to “get full protection” if you want to remove them from your computer.

And even if you don’t get tricked into registering for the full version, Windows PC Defender will keep annoying you with meaningless warnings and fake scan pop-ups until you fight back.

Microsoft may not have our backs on this, but since when did we need them? I’ll show you how to uninstall Windows PC Defender, for free.

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SoftSafeness

By Kristopher , 14 Sep 2009

SoftSafeness screenshot SoftSafeness is scareware dolled up to look like legit antivirus software. Like other fake security software, the only thing SoftSafeness is designed to remove is dough from your wallet. A twin of SafetyKeeper, SoftSafeness sneaks onto your machine through a Trojan or rogue website. What’s SoftSafeness is on your machine, it boots with your system and automatically spoofs checking your computer for threats. SoftSafeness will discover you’re infected with all sorts of badware that your real antivirus software never finds. Shocker. SoftSafeness then prompts you to pay up to remove this badware, with faux system alerts and Windows Security Center alerts, and SoftSafeness popups.

Don’t believe SoftSafeness’s hype — SoftSafeness just wants your money (if you paid for SoftSafeness already, call your credit card company and cancel the charge, and consider changing your card number). Even if you actually had any of the badware SoftSafeness says you do, SoftSafeness couldn’t remove it.

So let me show you how to remove SoftSafeness for free, before you set your PC on fire to block SoftSafeness pop-up ads.

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Omega Antivir

By Kristopher , 12 Sep 2009

Omega Antivir screenshot Omega Antivir is the latest invasive fake antispyware software from the delightful people who gave us Windows Protection Suite, Windows Additional Guard, and Windows Guard Pro. Remember those? The popups, the faux system alerts, the drag on your system… Oh, good times.

Anyway, Omega Antivir enters your hard drive as a Trojan horse and immediately wreaks havoc with Omega Antivir pop-ups, browser hijackings, and bogus system scans. If one of these Omega Antivir scans pops up on your computer offering “Maximum Protection” against whatever trumped list of viruses it says you have, don’t be fooled. Omega Antivir just wants to take your money and redirect your browser toward some of its badware buddies.

Maybe the worst thing about Omega Antivir is that it doesn’t waste time. Once it’s on your hard drive, it opens whenever you start your computer and bugs you every few seconds with some new fake Omega Antivir alert.

But don’t worry. If you’re ready to begin repressing all memory of Omega Antivir, I’ll show you how to uninstall Omega Antivir, for free.

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SafetyKeeper

By Kristopher , 10 Sep 2009

SafetyKeeper screenshot SafetyKeeper — or Safety Keeper — is scareware dressed up to look like legit antispyware software. Despite its fancy pants, SafetyKeeper is typical scamware that plays the usual tricks. A knock off of SaveKeeper, SaveDefense, and BlockDefense, SafetyKeeper follows their style. SafetyKeeper sneaks onto your machine through a Trojan or rogue website, and nestles into your registry so it launches when your system reboots. SafetyKeeper automatically spoofs scanning your system from threats. Turns out you’re infected with badware you’ve never heard of, and that your legit antispyware software has never found on your machine. Surprise! To remove this junk? Pay SafetyKeeper protection money. Don’t want to? You’re smart and see past the emperor’s new clothes, because even if you were really infected with badware besides SafetyKeeper, the only thing SafetyKeeper removes is money from your wallet. But SafetyKeeper will keep harassing you, with SafetyKeeper popups and fake system alerts.

Before you trash your computer to stop SafetyKeeper pop-up ads, let me show you how to uninstall SafetyKeeper, for free.

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ErrorSweeper

By Kristopher , 09 Sep 2009

ErrorSweeper screenshot Error Sweeper — which boldly pimps itself as the “Most Advanced PC Error Fixer!” — is in fact badware that either tricks you into downloading it or enters your computer as a Trojan horse. ErrorSweeper promises to clean your computer of registry errors, but in reality ErrorSweeper’s just another scareware app trying to scam money out of good, hard-working people. Yeah, like we need more of those, espesh right now.

Here’s how Error Sweeper’s scam works. Once installed, an ErrorSweeper popup displays all sorts of meaningless warnings about your computer and then says something like, “Total Problems Found: 24.” But it doesn’t really scan your computer. ErrorSweeper just wants to fool you into buying the so-called “full” version, which doesn’t exist.

Don’t feel like getting ripped off today? I’m with you. So let me show you how to uninstall ErrorSweeper, for free.

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AwareRemover.com

By Kristopher , 09 Sep 2009

AwareRemover.com screenshot AwareRemover.com is spam website that pushes fak eantispyware app Antivirus System PRO. Once AwareRemover.com’s scareware sneaks onto your computer, it changes your Windows Hosts file and turns your browser into an insane spam-zombie until you purge it from your computer.

Some of AwareRemover.com popups will say your computer is infected with harmful content, or that you have an insecure connection. You’re then prompted to take actions such as turning off your firewall (bad) or downloading more fake software (also bad). AwareRemover.com will bug you for money for a “full” version of Antivirus System PRO. But a “full” version of Antivirus System PRO is like AwareRemover.com’s credibility — non-existant.

If you see a link to Awareremover.com, be aware that the site is not your friend. And if you end up with Antivirus System PRO on your computer, follow these steps to block AwareRemover.com on your PC, for free.

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Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009

By Kristopher , 08 Sep 2009

Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009 screenshot If your idea of a great antispyware program is one that scares you, makes up lies about threats on your computer, takes your money, and then does nothing whatsoever to help you, then Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009 is a dream come true.

Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009 — that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it? — pops up on your computer and offers to perform a “Free Online Scan.” After a few minutes, a phony Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009 alert says, “Free Online Scan results: Found 77.” This alert leads directly to a Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009 payment screen, which will gladly take your money.

But don’t expect to get anything in return. Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009 is nothing more than an anti-spyware impersonator that will sabotage your hard drive and send your browser places you don’t want to go. None of this is good.

Before you set fire to your computer to get rid of these Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009 popups, let me show you how to remove Online Antivirus XP-Vista 2009, for free.

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SaveKeeper

By Kristopher , 08 Sep 2009

SaveKeeper screenshot SaveKeeper — or Save Keeper — is the latest release from the makers of SystemCop, BlockDefense, and SaveDefense. Whoever keeps making this scamware must not think we’re very smart. They think all they have to do is keep changing the name on their spyware, and we’ll keep falling for it over and over. And over. Again.

Like earlier versions of the same scareware, SaveKeeper pops up on your screen with a phony scan, and it will probably display a bunch of made-up information like, “Scanning Object: C:\Windows\7z99tr5j7cc.bin,” and then it will tell you, “Infections Detected: 284.” This is the same thing it tells everyone. SaveKeeper has no real ability to scan your hard drive.

What SaveKeeper can do is spy on you, spam you through your browser, beg you for money, and be an all-around pest. Before SaveKeeper makes you take a bat to your monitor, I’ll show you how to remove it from your PC, for free.

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