Fight scareware with free downloads on clarkhoward.com

RIP-OFF ALERT: We've all been so browbeaten into watching for viruses on our computers that it was only a matter of time before crooks wised up and started creating viruses that actually mimic common anti-virus warnings.

That's the idea behind what's called "scareware," which are bogus virus warnings that actually load a virus on your computer when you click on them! You don't even have to download anything. You're caught from the minute you click on the impostor pop-up window that supposedly alerts you to an existing virus!

Executive producer Christa recently had her computer compromised by a pop-up that masqueraded as a virus warning from Norton Antivirus. It even displayed a virus count as many popular antivirus programs will do.

So if you see a pop-up window that seems to be from your antivirus program, don't click on it. Instead, go directly to the antivirus or spyware program on your desktop and run it from there so it can find any security threats.

Clark particularly likes SpyBot Search and Destroy for protecting his computer. It's a free download that asks for contributions, but they're not required.

Finally, Christa also recommends having multiple browsers like Firefox, Chrome and others. The idea is that you can still try navigating around the web even if scareware hits your usual browser.

For additional spyware and scareware protection, see our list of other free downloads.

What others are saying

SUGGESTION: Malwarebytes
Members of our Team (and our techs here at WSB) all have had successful results with "Malwarebytes", another free anti-malware program. Might want to give this one a try:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
By Team Clark @ 08/12/09 05:03:46 PMreport abuse
What now?
I couldn't tell the difference between the icon of the scare ware or my regular SpyBot, so the bad one is now installed and won't let me open any programs or access the internet. Can I fix this at home? It's an old laptop (6 years) don't want to spend big money to fix but don't want to buy new.
By Mel @ 08/12/09 09:29:06 AMreport abuse
Scareware
This happened to me last night. I made mistake of clicking on it. Looked like windows virus guard, actually put icon in programs. I have AVG8.5 and it (the virus) wont allow me to start it. I have Spybot search and destroy, i ran it, it found 108 infected files and removed them. But the virus is still there. It pops up with a shreek to tell me that 471 files are corrupted. How do i get rid of it??
By David @ 08/12/09 06:47:17 AMreport abuse
scareware
I've geen getting scareware on my Dell, even using Linux Ubuntu. It freezes even the outermost "x" so I can't close it. So I unplug the computer phone line from the wall, and do a hard reboot to avoid infection. I thought Linux was supposed to be non-vulnerable...guess spys are smarter and smarter.
By cathryn @ 07/28/09 12:03:23 PMreport abuse
pc / mac viruses
I'm a PC Repair tech, and I see these infections more than ever lately. In some cases, we are having to completely reinstall the operating system to fix the issue.
As for "just by a Mac" as one guy said, If you're paying, then I'd love one. They are very safe, but out of my price range (the only laptop available under $1000 is a 13" mini). Linux is free though, and newer distributions like Ubuntu are becoming a realistic alternative to XP or Vista.
As for PC's, I find that if you use Firefox you're at a certain advantage because many "smitfraud" or "scareware" programs get in through Internet Explorer 7 security gaps.
I've found that few "free" programs are effective, but among these programs, MalwareBytes and SpyBot do well for the price.
If you're paying, then Trend Micro has been excellent for me,
*STAY AWAY FROM NORTON/SYMANTEC AND McAFFEE! They are overzealous, resource hogging, and highly targeted programs, and when it's all said and done, they are no more effective than the freebies.
By neil @ 06/09/09 03:46:50 PMreport abuse
Firefox
I love Firefox since it comes with AdBlock Plus, so I don't have to deal with any of that garbage. About 99% of all websites I visit daily are compatible with Firefox, and the one or two that are not, are set up to automatically open in Internet Explorer.

I used to run into this problem all the time, with the fake warning pop-ups telling me my virus protection may be out of date, or that I need to upgrade my firewall protection. I could tell early on they were fake, and I'd always click on the outer-most "X" to close the window. The problem with these is that the graphic looks so close to the real window that most people make the mistake of clicking the wrong "X", thereby downloading the virus/spyware. The best way to defeat this is to right-click on the button in your taskbar for that pop-up, if one is there, then click on "Close." Another way is to watch the cursor for the mouse. If it shows a little hand, you're still in the window. If it shows the arrow, then you're outside the window, and should be able to close.
By Patrick @ 05/13/09 08:10:10 PMreport abuse
Virus / Spyware pop ups
I teach PC repair and software and have two tips:

1. When a pop-up appears never click on any of the choices. OKAY - CANCEL - or whatever - they are all under that programmers control. Always use the OUTER most [X] (close window. The operating system XP, Vista, etc. never gives control of that close window [X] to the programmer. Otherwise clicking on the other items will launch the scam.

2. Buy a Mac computer. I'm fluent in both, but you simply don't have these issues on a Mac. You can get a Mac-Mini for $600 and keep your screen and keyboard. Cost more? Well, you don't buy virus software or spyware software and add nor get these problems. Why? Apple OS uses technologies and standards that can't be bypassed by viruses.
By Tim @ 05/09/09 01:48:54 PMreport abuse
ISP'S
Some typos below. The safer the machines on the network the safer the network. www.sergiwa.com has some free tools the RRT is free for one pc. and has a host of other easy to use tools for modern day virus issue's.

Virus Attack sounds like what recently happened to my wife's PC running McAfee as protection , she clicked on something asking the virus to home on her pc.(Clarke has mentioned this pop-up. The creators of these things are very crafty to say the least)Well this thing disabled everything, any way I could access system files needed on the pc to correct the issue & limited network card . Long and short I was able to get back in to recover her much needed files and had to reconfigure the PC .
By TechieClarkeListener @ 05/08/09 12:37:27 PMreport abuse
Linux
Why pay through the teeth for a MAC...Linux is free! Also, AVG should not be on the list. It no longer protects against rootkits. So, it's worthless.
By John @ 05/05/09 08:27:41 PMreport abuse
Virus attack
The same happened to me I have McAfee and they did not know how to handle the problem I got the runaround. First time for me.
By Genevieve Marshall @ 05/05/09 05:59:55 PMreport abuse
Anti-virus
Or just buy a Macintosh and leave all that stuff for Windows users
By Eman @ 05/04/09 11:33:59 PMreport abuse

SUGGESTION: Malwarebytes

Members of our Team (and our techs here at WSB) all have had successful results with "Malwarebytes", another free anti-malware program. Might want to give this one a try:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/

By Team Clark @ 08/12/09 05:03:46 PMreport abuse

What now?

I couldn't tell the difference between the icon of the scare ware or my regular SpyBot, so the bad one is now installed and won't let me open any programs or access the internet. Can I fix this at home? It's an old laptop (6 years) don't want to spend big money to fix but don't want to buy new.

By Mel @ 08/12/09 09:29:06 AMreport abuse

Scareware

This happened to me last night. I made mistake of clicking on it. Looked like windows virus guard, actually put icon in programs. I have AVG8.5 and it (the virus) wont allow me to start it. I have Spybot search and destroy, i ran it, it found 108 infected files and removed them. But the virus is still there. It pops up with a shreek to tell me that 471 files are corrupted. How do i get rid of it??

By David @ 08/12/09 06:47:17 AMreport abuse

scareware

I've geen getting scareware on my Dell, even using Linux Ubuntu. It freezes even the outermost "x" so I can't close it. So I unplug the computer phone line from the wall, and do a hard reboot to avoid infection. I thought Linux was supposed to be non-vulnerable...guess spys are smarter and smarter.

By cathryn @ 07/28/09 12:03:23 PMreport abuse

pc / mac viruses

I'm a PC Repair tech, and I see these infections more than ever lately. In some cases, we are having to completely reinstall the operating system to fix the issue.
As for "just by a Mac" as one guy said, If you're paying, then I'd love one. They are very safe, but out of my price range (the only laptop available under $1000 is a 13" mini). Linux is free though, and newer distributions like Ubuntu are becoming a realistic alternative to XP or Vista.
As for PC's, I find that if you use Firefox you're at a certain advantage because many "smitfraud" or "scareware" programs get in through Internet Explorer 7 security gaps.
I've found that few "free" programs are effective, but among these programs, MalwareBytes and SpyBot do well for the price.
If you're paying, then Trend Micro has been excellent for me,
*STAY AWAY FROM NORTON/SYMANTEC AND McAFFEE! They are overzealous, resource hogging, and highly targeted programs, and when it's all said and done, they are no more effective than the freebies.

By neil @ 06/09/09 03:46:50 PMreport abuse

Firefox

I love Firefox since it comes with AdBlock Plus, so I don't have to deal with any of that garbage. About 99% of all websites I visit daily are compatible with Firefox, and the one or two that are not, are set up to automatically open in Internet Explorer.

I used to run into this problem all the time, with the fake warning pop-ups telling me my virus protection may be out of date, or that I need to upgrade my firewall protection. I could tell early on they were fake, and I'd always click on the outer-most "X" to close the window. The problem with these is that the graphic looks so close to the real window that most people make the mistake of clicking the wrong "X", thereby downloading the virus/spyware. The best way to defeat this is to right-click on the button in your taskbar for that pop-up, if one is there, then click on "Close." Another way is to watch the cursor for the mouse. If it shows a little hand, you're still in the window. If it shows the arrow, then you're outside the window, and should be able to close.

By Patrick @ 05/13/09 08:10:10 PMreport abuse

Virus / Spyware pop ups

I teach PC repair and software and have two tips:

1. When a pop-up appears never click on any of the choices. OKAY - CANCEL - or whatever - they are all under that programmers control. Always use the OUTER most [X] (close window. The operating system XP, Vista, etc. never gives control of that close window [X] to the programmer. Otherwise clicking on the other items will launch the scam.

2. Buy a Mac computer. I'm fluent in both, but you simply don't have these issues on a Mac. You can get a Mac-Mini for $600 and keep your screen and keyboard. Cost more? Well, you don't buy virus software or spyware software and add nor get these problems. Why? Apple OS uses technologies and standards that can't be bypassed by viruses.

By Tim @ 05/09/09 01:48:54 PMreport abuse

ISP'S

Some typos below. The safer the machines on the network the safer the network. www.sergiwa.com has some free tools the RRT is free for one pc. and has a host of other easy to use tools for modern day virus issue's.

Virus Attack sounds like what recently happened to my wife's PC running McAfee as protection , she clicked on something asking the virus to home on her pc.(Clarke has mentioned this pop-up. The creators of these things are very crafty to say the least)Well this thing disabled everything, any way I could access system files needed on the pc to correct the issue & limited network card . Long and short I was able to get back in to recover her much needed files and had to reconfigure the PC .

By TechieClarkeListener @ 05/08/09 12:37:27 PMreport abuse

Linux

Why pay through the teeth for a MAC...Linux is free! Also, AVG should not be on the list. It no longer protects against rootkits. So, it's worthless.

By John @ 05/05/09 08:27:41 PMreport abuse

Virus attack

The same happened to me I have McAfee and they did not know how to handle the problem I got the runaround. First time for me.

By Genevieve Marshall @ 05/05/09 05:59:55 PMreport abuse

Anti-virus

Or just buy a Macintosh and leave all that stuff for Windows users

By Eman @ 05/04/09 11:33:59 PMreport abuse

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May 04, 2009 -- Fight scareware with free downloads

What others are saying