Popup Warnings May Be Rogue Spyware

You turn on your computer and notice a popup window warning you that it has detected a serious problem that needs to be fixed right away.

The program warning you of the threat may even run through a scan, displaying just how bad the problem really is. The funny thing is you've never seen the warning program before, but it looks legitimate. To make matters worse, your computer is acting funny. You may not be able to access the internet, your files, or it's shutting down randomly.

Then you get the punchline... the program tells you that in order to correct the serious problems, you need to turn on a special feature that costs money. Insert your credit card please. STOP! This program, and all the threats it reports are fake. The sole purpose of these rogue spyware programs is to rob you. If you do pay the fee with your credit card, the program will not go away, and thieves gain access to your personal identity and credit card information.

Rogue spyware looks like legitimate security software in order to fool the average computer user into trusting it. Rogues come with names like Registry Patrol, SpySheriff, Antivirus Pro, Mac Defender, Windows Repair, and many more.

Preventing Spyware Infection
There is no 100% effective way to prevent spyware from getting on an internet connected computer. An antivirus program is a must have, but it cannot be the only defense you use. We have seen spyware shut off the Windows Security Center; which disables the firewall, antivirus program, and auto update features.

To protect your computer you need to employ "defense in depth":

1. Have an up-to-date active antivirus program running on your computer. There are professional and free versions that do a good job. If you have a professional version please do not ignore the reminders to renew your subscription.
2. Install an anti-spyware program. For Windows we recommend Malwarebytes AntiMalware or SuperAntiSpyware. Consider upgrading to the professional versions of either of these two programs to get the auto-updating and scheduled scanning features. If you can't afford that, be sure to run your free anti-spyware program at least once a week. Update it first, then scan. For Mac owners you can get away with just running either Sophos Antivirus Mac Home Edition (free) or the professional MacScan.
3. Keep your Mac or Windows computer updated. Apple and Microsoft are good at releasing frequent security updates. A lot of users ignore update reminders.
4. Windows users should install the free Firefox browser, and make it their default browser.

Removing Spyware
Removing active rogue spyware (or any malware) can be tricky. Here are some good first steps to try and take care of the problem yourself:

1. If you have an antivirus program installed, run it. Try to update it, then run a full scan.If you have an anti-spyware program previously installed, try it as well.
2. Windows users can use the System Restore utility to put their computer back in time to a point before the trouble began. Sometimes rogue spyware can turn off your restore points or shut down the service - eliminating this approach.
3. Mac users who use Time Machine with a backup drive can restore the entire computer safely from backup. Knowing how long the spyware has been active on your system will help you judge how far back in time you should go.
4. If you have access to a non-infected computer, Google the name of the spyware program and look for removal instructions.