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Rogue & Fake AntiVirus Programs

Adam | March 3, 2009 | 8:55 pm

The most recent and prevalent threat to everyday computer users is Rogue programs that force their way onto your computer. This malicious software or malware usually poses as a trial version of an anti-virus or ‘system cleaner’ program. The trial (malware) program typically find its way onto your system with help of Trojan backdoor viruses.

Once installed, this type of malware has one prominent goal: getting the user to pay for the full version. Systems infected will be adversely effected immediately. These programs will notify you repeatedly of false-positive infections or system errors. Various functions of normal Windows operation will no longer work. Many times internet access will be limited or disabled, the desktop background may be changed to some form of colorful warning. Some more severe infections will only allow you to purchase the software, halting your system entirely. This is the result of additional malware being downloaded and installed by the Rogue program.

If the Rogue has progressed to this point, the user will certainly know it. Unfortunately, standard ways of scanning and removing the infection with Anti-Virus software will not be successful or even possible.

Contact Us immediately if you believe your system is infected!

————

Below is a list of all the Rogue malware that we have encountered and removed at South Lake Computers to date:

• Antivirus 2008
• Antivirus 2009
• Antivirus 2010 (also known as Anti-virus-1)
• Antivirus 360
• AntivirusPro2009
• AntiVirus Gold
• Antivirus Master
• Antivirus XP 2008
• Ascentive
• EasySpywareCleaner
• Errorsafe
• free-viruscan.com
• FinallyFast.com (Sock Puppet of Ascentive)
• GreenAV2009
• IE Antivirus
• IEDefender
• MalwareAlarm
• MS Antivirus
• MS AntiSpyware 2009
• PC-Antispyware
• PCSecureSystem
• PC Antispy
• PC Clean Pro
• Perfect Cleaner
• Perfect Defender 2009
• PersonalAntiSpy Free
• Premium-Antivirus-Defence
• Smart Antivirus 2008
• Smart Antivirus 2009
• SpyGuard
• Spyware Cleaner
• SpywareGuard 2008
• Spyware Protect 2009
• System anti virus 2008
• SpySheriff
• Total Secure 2009
• UltimateCleaner
• VirusHeat
• Virus Trigger
• Vista Antivirus 2008
• WinAntiVirus Pro 2006
• WinDefender
• WinFixer
• WinSpywareProtect
• XP Antivirus
• XP AntiSpyware 2009

Many Rogues are the same basic infection type. The makers simply change their name, logo and the way the program looks. However, some are far more difficult to remove.

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Happy New Year from SLC!

Adam | January 1, 2009 | 12:01 pm

Happy New Year to the entire Lake County Community!

South Lake Computers hopes that 2009 will our BEST year yet! We’ll be striving to improve our community service and outreach projects; helping all families and households get connected with desktop and laptop computers and internet access!

We also would like to wish all of our customers and the entire community a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous year throughout 2009!

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Do you back-up your data?

Adam | September 13, 2008 | 4:56 pm

What is Backup, Anyway?

When someone mentions Backup with reference to computers, they mean making a copy of one or more files that are stored somewhere besides on your computer. Backing up the files on your system should be an essential part of your computing experience if you spend great amounts of time on your computer and/or use your computer for important personal or business dealings. There are too many stories of people who have lost all of their files due to system crashes or computer viruses to ignore. When you backup your files, you are storing your files separately from your computer.

This way, if your computer crashes or is infected with a virus that results in a loss of files, you will still have access to your files on backup disks or whatever other backup program you choose to use, such as online backup. You can then restore your files to your computer properly and with minimal downtime from these backup sources.

Why Do I Need to Backup My Files?

Don’t fall into the old paradigm of “it will never happen to me.” While there is certainly a chance that you will never have a need for the backups you make of your files, if something does happen to your computer you will certainly be glad that you have them. And you do not have to backup your entire computer, although this is certainly something that many people do, but only the files that are of the most importance to you.

Some things are easily replaced, and there is no need to backup these sorts of things, but those irreplaceable documents or files that are yours and yours alone should be saved in a place where they cannot be damaged. That way, no matter what happens to your computer, you can have security in the fact that all of your files are available in backup.

NOTE: When it comes to computer hardware, remember that its not IF it fails, its WHEN it fails. When it comes to family photos or business-critial data that you simply cannot afford to lose, or files that you cant replace; It pays to be safe and not sorry.

So How do I Backup My Files?

There are many possible methods for backing up your files. Floppy diskettes are a very common way, although this is somewhat falling by the wayside as computers are using floppy drives less and less. It is not uncommon to not see a single computer with a floppy disk drive on display when you go to the computer store to buy a new computer. CD-Rs are an excellent method for backing up your files.

CD-Rs and CD-RWs allow hundreds of times more storage space than a floppy disk could ever hope to have, and with increasingly faster CD burners they are becoming faster and easier to use all the time. It is possible to save 800 MB of data onto a CD in only minutes, and for many people they can backup every file of import on their computer onto a single CD.

This is far easier than have stacks of floppy disks lying around your computer desk which you must dig through any time you are trying to find a particular file that you have saved in backup.

Online backup is another excellent method for the backing up of your files. This allows you to store your files online, where there are no need for disks or CDs, and you can simply download your files back onto your computer whenever you want.

Whatever method you choose, remember that backing up your files is very important, and make sure that you do so to protect against the worst.

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Get your Antivirus up-to-date!

Adam | | 4:30 pm

Due to the nature of ever-evolving virus threats, virus definitions are outdated within days of their release, necessitating some sort of a constantly updating definition system. The major antivirus companies have turned antivirus protection from a software to a service as a result. They do this by selling you “subscriptions” or “licenses” to use the software. This means that when your subscription is finished, you will stop getting updates. That is why it is so important to stay on top of your subscriptions and make sure they don’t run out.

From this comprehensive set of links below, you should be able to find the updates to the program you run on your computer. Some of the products can only be updated from within the program itself, meaning that you can’t download the definitions manually. I’ve made a note of those that are only updated manually.

Anti-Virus Updates

Name of Antivirus Product Update Link
avast! Professional Edition Click Here for the Update
AVG Anti-Virus Click Here for the Update
AVIRA AntiVir Personal Edition Click Here for the Update
BitDefender Professional Plus Click Here for the Update
Dr.Web for Windows Click Here for the Update
eScan Anti-Virus Click Here for the Update
ESET NOD32 Anti-Virus Only from within program*
Fortinet FortiClient Only from within program*
F-Prot for Windows Only from within program*
F-Secure Anti-Virus Click Here for the Update
G DATA AntiVirusKit (AVK) Only from within program*
Kaspersky Anti-Virus Click Here for the Update
McAfee VirusScan Click Here for the Update
Microsoft OneCare Only from within program*
Norman Virus Control Click Here for the Update
Symantec Norton Anti-Virus Click Here for the Update
TrustPort Antivirus Workstation Click Here for the Update
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Is your Antivirus up-to-date?

Adam | | 4:09 pm
Does your antivirus software look like this?
Out of date Norton Internet Security

Out of date Norton Internet Security

This copy of Norton Internet Security expired almost two years ago, meaning that for a whole year it has been running with old virus definitions. Why are virus definitions important? Well, have you ever seen or heard of a system with virus protection installed on it, but still managed to get infected? That system’s antivirus software was likely out-of-date.

Imagine that a virus definition is like a word definition in that it helps you identify the word/virus and what it does. Now imagine that you’re a foreign student traveling in America with a travel dictionary (or virus definitions) from the year 1492. Those word definitions (virus definitions) are terribly out of date, so there’s no chance that you’re going to be able to pick up new words (new viruses). An undetected virus can be on your system right now if your antivirus software is not up to date!

Many modern PC makers will bundle trial versions of anti-virus products with a computer that will only last 90 days before expiring. This can be even worse than having no anti-virus at all because you might think that you are protected when you actually aren’t. If that software is now telling you your computer is not completely protected anymore, it’s telling the truth!

Please take a few minutes today to make sure that your anti-virus software is updated and running correctly. Also be sure to check the following blog for help getting up-to-date.

NOTE: If you do not have any Virus or Spyware protection installed on your system or it has expired, be sure to contact us before you become infected.

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SLC sponsors Eagle’s Football!

Adam | September 12, 2008 | 2:11 pm

Today is the first home game for South Lake High School and their Eagles Football Team. They face off today against Ocala Forest as they look to go, 2-0. Make sure you spot South Lake Computers on the sponsor board as well as in the football program given out at each home game. GO EAGLES!

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SouthLakeComputers.com goes Live!

Adam | September 8, 2008 | 2:51 pm

Today, SouthLakeComputers.com went live to the web. This website as it grows, will be a place on the web for our community to learn about South Lake Computers and how our services can help local PC users. In addition, PC users world-wide will be able to take advantage of computer related articles, guides and links hosted by SouthLakeComputers.com.

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Customer Testimonials

"I have used South Lake Computers quite a few times in the last couple of years. I've always been satisfied with their service and professionalism."

-Bryan in Clermont

SLC NEWSLETTER

South Lake Computers Blog

  • Terrible Toolbars in IE – Get rid of them!
  • Windows 7 Release date announced
  • What is ‘Disk Defragment’?
  • Rogue & Fake AntiVirus Programs
  • Happy New Year from SLC!
  • Do you back-up your data?
  • Get your Antivirus up-to-date!
  • Is your Antivirus up-to-date?
  • SLC sponsors Eagle’s Football!
  • SouthLakeComputers.com goes Live!

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