Several months ago, we posted that we had been seeing a lot of computer viruses coming out of a virus warning pop-up scheme. Well, it seems like this scheme is on the rise, as we have been seeing an unusually large influx of clients whose PCs have been infected with viruses. Since this scheme has resurfaced, we thought we'd devote another post to the issue. Read on to find out how people are unknowingly downloading viruses and what to do if you encounter one yourself.
Computer Virus Pop-Up Scheme
As the tech community has developed safeguards against malicious software, the creators of viruses have continued to develop methods of tricking people into allowing harmful software to infiltrate their computers. A method that seems to be on the rise is the use of pop-up windows made to look like legitimate antivirus programs.
How the scheme works:
Users typically encounter this scheme while browsing the internet. Virus programmers imbed malicious code on websites--even legitimate, non-offensive websites--that causes a pop-up window to appear saying that your computer has been scanned and viruses have been found. It might look something like the image on the left.
As you can see, the window looks like an actual virus-scan utility you might have on your computer. The problem is that clicking anywhere on this window will automatically start a download that will infect your computer.
What should I do if I see one of these pop ups?
First and foremost, do not click anywhere on the window, including the "X" that would normally close the window. Even trying to close the window could start downloading the malicious program.
Secondly, the safest way to avoid infection is to restart your computer (click Start, click Shut Down, and then choose Restart). Restarting will make sure that no connections are made with the source of the virus. Granted, having to restart your computer is an inconvenience, but it is much less of an inconvenience than having to deal with a virus.
As always, if you have any questions or think you may have accidentaly clicked on one of these pop-up windows, don't hesitate to call us. We remove viruses regularly, and we understand that these schemes are very tricky and hard to differentiate from legitimate applications.