Anti-virus/anti-spyware programs as well as firewalls are of no protection if the user of the computer decides to click on links that generate malicious code or download and run questionable files.

The user’s interactions can easily override the installed protection and in some cases, actually disable your protection programs, but make it look like they are still running.

The fake anti-virus program scams actually started last year as “Antivirus 2009″ and it was so successful that it lives on as many variations including “Antivirus 2010.” A clever author of malware discovered a sneaky way to fool folks into installing malicious software into their computers, THEN extract money from them by posing as a legitimate program for removing the malicious software.

The reason that this approach has been so successful is that they very closely mimic Windows warning screens and legitimate antivirus programs. Virtually every legitimate antivirus company has a product called Antivirus 2009, which further confuses the uninitiated.

The most common ways to come in contact with this infection include maliciously coded Web sites that popup a warning message that you are infected, e-mail messages that trick folks into clicking on a link, Web sites that claim you need to download software in order to see a posted video and links or downloads that are spread through social networking sites such as MySpace and facebook as well as msn and yahoo messenging systems.

At this point in time, any form of popup or error message that refers to Antivirus 2008 or 2009 (including System Antivirus, Ultimate Antivirus, Vista Antivirus, Pro Antivirus or XP Antivirus followed by a number) should be considered extremely suspicious.

If you ever see any reference to a virus that is not specifically from the product that you have installed in your computer for protection, you should consider it to be a fake (Windows, itself won’t ever alert you of a virus infection).

In the same token, any Web site that claims that you need to download a new video program or “codec” in order to view a video should be considered a threat.

Users of file sharing networks are at a high risk of contracting malicious software as it’s often hidden within what appears to be a legitimate program (referred to as a Trojan).

Millions of people are fooled by this program.

 

Getting rid of the code once it has infected your system is very dificult and should not be attempted without help. You can do even more damage, and even worse, you could lose your important files.

 

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