"Your Computer Is Infected" Fake Alert

This web page was set up to provide users with the necessary information and tools to safely remove the fake alert message "Your Computer Is Infected".

Your Computer Is Infected - A Fake Virus Alert

Did you recently get a "Your Computer Is Infected" message? Are you sick and tired of obnoxious pop-up windows constantly badgering you that you that you have a virus on your computer, but you're pretty sure that you don't? It's pretty safe to say that many of us are tired of these windows, and since so many of them look real, you might actually believe these windows and click on them, which only causes more problems. Why is that such a big deal? Let's take a closer look.

Example "Your Computer Is Infected" False Alert

The Zen of the Pop-Up

Many sites that are desperate for advertising revenue will take on ads for less then reputable sites. These sites will cause pop-up windows, even some that get around the best pop-up blockers, and take up most of your screen with a flashing, color changing window that says "Your Computer Is Infected," or gives some other fake virus alert such as the ones above. If you are unlucky enough to click on one of these windows, you probably won't like what happens next. Your browser will be redirected to a site that is going to try to sell you a product, known as a rogue anti-spyware program, to clean up your PC and get rid of all of these "bugs" that you have. By clicking on the window alone, it is possible that you might become infected since many Internet worms and Trojans find their way on to your computer through holes in the security system of Internet Explorer and other browsers, too. These infections can send you even more fake alerts that may even appear as very convincing balloon pop-ups from your system tray. You don't have to be visiting their website to see their fake alerts!

Example System Tray Balloon Pop-up False Alerts

Stick um' up, Sonny!

These kinds of fake virus alerts or "Your Computer is Infected" messages are what is known as RansomWare. A pop-up window will tell you that you're infected with a virus, and then redirect you to a site where you are required to buy a downloadable program to fix the problem. The only catch is that, in this case, the problem doesn't actually exist. These annoying and dishonest pop-up windows are trying to lead you to download a class of program known as rogue anti-spyware. With rogue anti-spyware, the question of whether the program leads to infections or cures them is an unknown. The manufacturers want you to buy their product, but they can be less than honest about how they go about it.

"Your Computer is Infected" - Understanding the Why

There are usually a whole host of methods rogue anti-spyware programs will use to try to get you to buy their products. The most common is the high-pressured sales pitch. A perfect example is the pop-ups that demand your attention. And even worse, these pop-ups have found a way around many of the popular pop-up blockers like Google and Yahoo. They want you to believe that your computer is in trouble, and if you don't get their product soon, your computer is doomed. While this is completely wrong, it can still be quite scary.

A second tactic these rogue anti-spyware programs use is they will do their best to disguise their pop-ups to look like a natural Windows function or a function from a program you already have installed on your computer. They might cause a pop-up window that will do a quick scan of your hard drive, see what programs you have installed and then do their best to try to mimic that program by displaying a warning window that looks frightening and very real. Almost all of them are some variation of "Your Computer Is Infected." Don't ever trust these pop-ups. If you think you might have a virus, back up all of your files, create a System Restore point and then scan your hard drive using anti-spyware and anti-virus programs. Don't ever trust a pop-up.

A final reason why you don't want to click on the flashing pop-up that claims "Your Computer is Infected" is that it might actually infect you with something without you even knowing it. The pop-up could trigger the automatic download of a Trojan virus that can embed itself in your hard drive that will send you even more fake alerts or allow a hacker or a third party to take over your machine at any time. As bad as this sounds, the results are even worse. The personal information on your computer will no longer be personal. Everything from passwords to bank account numbers to PIN's, can be viewed by a third party. But that's only half the problem. If you do have a Trojan, you also have to worry about the possible destruction of your PC. By accessing your hard drive through a Trojan, a third party can add other problem programs to your computer.

Removing the "Your Computer Is Infected" Messages

These programs have lots of names. Internet Security 2010, Defence Center, Antivirus 2010, Security Suite, WinSpywareProtect, AntiSpyCheck, Winfixer, DriveCleaner, Spyware.Cyberlong-X are just some. In most cases, you could find about fifty more. This is why having reliable anti-spyware and anti-virus programs is so important. You can't keep up with all of these variants, but a good security program can!

Choosing the right program to remove "Your Computer is Infected" alerts is essential. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 2.0 is a great choice, but there are other options. Talk to family and friends to see what they use. Be sure to research any suggestions you get carefully. Whatever you choose, get one right away to protect your computer. The following steps using Anti-Malware 2.0 will get rid of those fake alerts and any associated Trojans right now for you:

Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

1. Scan your system with Anti-Malware 2.0 removing all detected infections.
2. Reboot your PC
3. Scan your system again to ensure the removal process is complete.

To mitigate the chances of future infections from malicious programs and Trojans it's important to keep your PC up-to-date with the latest Windows security updates and use a reputable anti-spyware program such as Anti-Malware 2.0.

If you have any questions regarding "Your Computer Is Infected Fake Alert" removal please feel free to contact us.

Free-Web-Browsers.com