Scareware No Halloween Joke
October 23, 2009 by AntivirusWare.
Scareware often takes the form of a deceiving pop-up that appears to be a legitimate security warning that informs the user that their computer’s security has been compromised. The user is then directed to a website where they can purchase software that will fix their problem - an Antivirus software of types, although it often has no “Anti-Virus” capabilities or may even be a “malware” program, causing further problems.
Over the last year, Symantec estimates that over 40 million people have fallen for this scareware scam. Some of these scareware scams take the “prank” a few steps further than just purchasing a program that you do not need. This rogue software can give those who control it the ability to lock up your computer - later extorting money from you to return your computer’s access to you. Or, they can even steal the information on your computer — possibly leading to identity theft problems.
So how can you avoid this scareware? Stay home for Halloween! Or, make sure your computer’s security is up to date by having current Antivirus Software. Also, making sure your operating system is up-to-date can further decrease vulnerabilities.