PatrickMarkham.com
The latest nuisance to hit my clients’ computers is AntiVirusXP2008 (or AntiVirX08). It claims to be a genuine Anti Virus tool. It is in fact a very misleading piece of malware that reports that you have heaps of viruses and that the only way to get rid of them is to purchase the AntiVirusXP2008 tool. Don’t be tempted!
It brings with it plenty of viruses causing anything from pop-ups to blue screens. The application is not uninstallable using its own ‘uninstall routine’ and indeed using Add/Remove in Control Panel.
Quite how it is to be completely removed is still work in progress as far as I am concerned. The instructions on the Symantec site help get rid of the necessary registry entries and I can get rid of the viruses but I’m still left with the PCs occasionally ‘blue-screening’.
UPDATE
I have learnt that the ‘blue screening’ is not in fact blue screening. Its just a desktop image made to look like a blue screen.
I have also found that my tool of choice for removal of this virus is AVG Anti-Virus. Ask me for a copy or buy it on ebay using this link.
FURTHER UPDATE
This virus is still around and it gets cleverer. The latest version that I am dealing with calls itself ANTI VIRUS 360. A bold move that rips off the respected Norton’s product name. This edition of the pesky software appears to modify the Google page. It tells you that you have an unregistered copy of Anti Virus 360 and Google recommends that you purchase it. There are other sites that it wont even give you access to. Instead you get a message that tells you that your PC is under threat and that you such purchase this malicious software.
I’m still finding that the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to get rid of this nuisance is to format and reinstall everything from scratch. It’s the only way I can be sure… unless you know better?
Tags: Anti Virus 360, AntiVirusXP2008, AntiVirXP08, Customers, Malware, Remove, Uninstall, Virus
What a nightmare. This sort of thing should hit the national news. If only Points Of View was still on air…
Vidhu said…
Try this Online Virus Scanner
http://lognot.blogspot.com/2008/07/free-online-virus-scanners-to-remove.html
Does this affect Apple do you know?
No, this only affects Microsoft, Not Macs.
Well, when I saw that my computer was “infected” I panicked and purchased the antivirusxp2008 for 3 years!!! Only to find out later that the whole thing is fake! Does anyone out there know where I can go from here as far as getting my money back and who I can report this to? I’m feeling shomewhat foolish for what I did but how was I to know? Help!
Oh Janice, I dont know. I’m struggling enough to perform a fix for those who didn’t buy it. I’m starting the think that the only real clean way of getting rid of this is to reinstall Windows and have a fresh start.
Quite who you would report it to is another matter. And I wonder if you’ll ever see your money again. Let us know how you get on.
Real nuisance. Try disabling it from Start-up (use MSConfig in Run) and then simply delete the related folder from Programs. There is one nagging screen left, despite the above action – thankfully, it vanishes in seconds. The screen displays a Warning about Virus & Adware on your computer.
As these guys have a website and are established rogues & frauds, can’t they be punished?? surely there must be a way.
When the antivirus comes up on ur screen, hit control+alt+delete then click on the antivirus and click end program. It should come up with an error and tell you the file name, i cant remember the name of the file exactly but i know it ends with .exe. Copy that name and go to start, then seach, then click on all files and folders. paste the name of the file and hit search, it should lead you to the folder. Delete the whole folder and and then empty ur recycling bin. You should then be able to delete if from your add and remove program and delete the short cuts on your start menu. So far mine has not come back but I also did a virus scan using Avg4free and adaware…i still think some things are messed but thats the best i can do