False virus alert

I just got one, very cleverly done as it appeared to come from my Windows
system with the official Windows badge and everything.
It told me viruses had been detected and it proceeded to scan my drives,
then told me how many and what they were and there was a box to click to
"remove all"
If one of the viruses detected had not had the name FalseAlert and it also
said that My Documents had viruses in (when it has almost nothing stored in
there and I haven't used it for several years) I might have fallen for it.
Further research proved this originated in Czechoslavakia.
So be warned.
Tweed

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...
I just got one, very cleverly done as it appeared to come from my Windows
system with the official Windows badge and everything.
It told me viruses had been detected and it proceeded to scan my drives,
then told me how many and what they were and there was a box to click to
"remove all"
If one of the viruses detected had not had the name FalseAlert and it also
said that My Documents had viruses in (when it has almost nothing stored
in there and I haven't used it for several years) I might have fallen for
it.
Further research proved this originated in Czechoslavakia.
So be warned.
Tweed


Did it pop up on a internet explorer page IF so get a good popup blocker
and immediately close that page it has been going around for years

"Matthew" wrote in message
g.com...

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...
I just got one, very cleverly done as it appeared to come from my Windows
system with the official Windows badge and everything.
It told me viruses had been detected and it proceeded to scan my drives,
then told me how many and what they were and there was a box to click to
"remove all"
If one of the viruses detected had not had the name FalseAlert and it
also said that My Documents had viruses in (when it has almost nothing
stored in there and I haven't used it for several years) I might have
fallen for it.
Further research proved this originated in Czechoslavakia.
So be warned.
Tweed


Did it pop up on a internet explorer page IF so get a good popup
blocker and immediately close that page it has been going around for
years

It popped up when I opened a link I have a good pop up blocker.
It was totally believable. It was quite difficult to close it and every
time I did it just popped up again.

I know I have so much security on my computer that having so many viruses on
it is not possible. They shot themselves in the foot with this.
But when your Windows Defender says it is doing that,
you tend to believe it, but luckily I am not stupid and noticed a real
fault with that because the origin was Cz
It looks so good and downloads when you switch your computer on as a
genuine Windows alert.

Tweed

"Christina Websell" wrote in
message
"Matthew" wrote in message
g.com...

"Christina Websell"
wrote in
message ...
I just got one, very cleverly done as it appeared to come
from my
Windows system with the official Windows badge and
everything.
It told me viruses had been detected and it proceeded to
scan my
drives, then told me how many and what they were and there
was a
box to click to "remove all"
If one of the viruses detected had not had the name
FalseAlert
and it also said that My Documents had viruses in (when it
has
almost nothing stored in there and I haven't used it for
several
years) I might have fallen for it.
Further research proved this originated in Czechoslavakia.
So be warned.
Tweed


Did it pop up on a internet explorer page IF so get a good
popup
blocker and immediately close that page it has been going
around
for years

It popped up when I opened a link I have a good pop up
blocker.
It was totally believable. It was quite difficult to close it
and
every time I did it just popped up again.

I know I have so much security on my computer that having so
many
viruses on it is not possible. They shot themselves in the
foot with
this. But when your Windows Defender says it is doing that,
you tend to believe it, but luckily I am not stupid and noticed
a real
fault with that because the origin was Cz
It looks so good and downloads when you switch your computer on
as a
genuine Windows alert.

Tweed

Even clicking on the "X" at the top right corner of these false
alerts can install malware. The cross isn't really a "Close
Window" clickable button at all, but will initiate installation
of the unwanted programme. The trick with these is to use either
Task Manager to close Internet Explorer, or the keyboard shortcut
Alt+F4.

I've been caught out by this - fortunately, on a work-provided
laptop, which had good protection. It still managed to install an
unwanted file, but it wouldn't run the malware programme. It did,
however, disable the virus scanner when looking at that
particular file - that's what enabled it to be removed, because
the virus scanner kept "hanging" on that file, and provided a
good indication of where the offending programme had been copied
to!

--
MatSav

"MatSav" wrote in message ...

snip

Even clicking on the "X" at the top right corner of these false
alerts can install malware. The cross isn't really a "Close
Window" clickable button at all, but will initiate installation
of the unwanted programme. The trick with these is to use either
Task Manager to close Internet Explorer, or the keyboard shortcut
Alt+F4.

I've been caught out by this - fortunately, on a work-provided
laptop, which had good protection. It still managed to install an
unwanted file, but it wouldn't run the malware programme. It did,
however, disable the virus scanner when looking at that
particular file - that's what enabled it to be removed, because
the virus scanner kept "hanging" on that file, and provided a
good indication of where the offending programme had been copied
to!

--
MatSav

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Good advice. I think that red "X" at the top right corner of a false alert
may be the most deceptive problem of all. A person who clicks on that
naturally assumes that it will close the program. Instead, it may install.

MaryL

"MatSav" wrote in message
...
"Christina Websell" wrote in
message
"Matthew" wrote in message
g.com...

"Christina Websell" wrote in
message ...
I just got one, very cleverly done as it appeared to come from my
Windows system with the official Windows badge and everything.
It told me viruses had been detected and it proceeded to scan my
drives, then told me how many and what they were and there was a
box to click to "remove all"
If one of the viruses detected had not had the name FalseAlert
and it also said that My Documents had viruses in (when it has
almost nothing stored in there and I haven't used it for several
years) I might have fallen for it.
Further research proved this originated in Czechoslavakia.
So be warned.
Tweed


Did it pop up on a internet explorer page IF so get a good popup
blocker and immediately close that page it has been going around
for years

It popped up when I opened a link I have a good pop up blocker.
It was totally believable. It was quite difficult to close it and
every time I did it just popped up again.

I know I have so much security on my computer that having so many
viruses on it is not possible. They shot themselves in the foot with
this. But when your Windows Defender says it is doing that,
you tend to believe it, but luckily I am not stupid and noticed a real
fault with that because the origin was Cz
It looks so good and downloads when you switch your computer on as a
genuine Windows alert.

Tweed

Even clicking on the "X" at the top right corner of these false alerts can
install malware. The cross isn't really a "Close Window" clickable button
at all, but will initiate installation of the unwanted programme. The
trick with these is to use either Task Manager to close Internet Explorer,
or the keyboard shortcut Alt+F4.

I've been caught out by this - fortunately, on a work-provided laptop,
which had good protection. It still managed to install an unwanted file,
but it wouldn't run the malware programme. It did, however, disable the
virus scanner when looking at that particular file - that's what enabled
it to be removed, because the virus scanner kept "hanging" on that file,
and provided a good indication of where the offending programme had been
copied to!

I've scanned with my Malware program and luckily there is nothing on my
computer. Phew.
It's so easy to believe this sort of of thing if it seems to come from your
own computer protection.