14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft Security Essentials Alert has made an unwanted comeback, but the revival changes nothing and users should continue to steer clear of this piece of malicious code masqueraded as Microsoft’s free security solution for genuine Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.
The Redmond company is currently offering customers Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0, which was wrapped up in 2009 and launched just ahead of Windows 7 GA; and Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0, a version delivered to early adopters for testing.
It should go without saying that Microsoft Security Essentials Alert is still not Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 or MSE 2.0.
However, some users might already be familiar with Microsoft Security Essentials Alert. And fact is that the malware was first reported in early 2010 when it made the first appearance.
Judging strictly by the vast number of readers of my first article on Microsoft Security Essentials Alert, the malware has created a lot of victims. Nothing really changed since February 2010.
Microsoft Security Essentials Alert is still what is known in the industry as rogue antivirus, fake antivirus or scareware.
“Last week, we saw the re-emergence of another new trojan that is disguising itself as Microsoft’s no-cost AntiMalware program Microsoft Security Essentials,” revealed Microsoft’s Eric Foster.
“This imposter is known in the technical world of antimalware combat as “Win32/FakePAV”. FakePAV is a rogue that displays messages that imitate Microsoft Security Essentials threat reports in order to entice the user into downloading and paying for a rogue security scanner.
“The rogue persistently terminates numerous processes such as Windows Registry Editor, Internet Explorer, Windows Restore and other utilities and applications.”
Attackers are deliberately copying the genuine Microsoft Security Essentials with their rogue AV in an attempt to pass their malware for a legitimate product.
The plagiarism does by no means stop at the branding level, graphics and elements of the user interface are also copied.
But Microsoft Security Essentials Alert lacks any real antivirus capabilities. It is only designed to produce fake security warnings, convince users that they’re infected with malware and then scare them into paying for a license of a non-security product to remove nonexistent threats.
“This software is a fake. Do not be fooled by this scam. This malware can potentially cause consumers and small business owners harm. Microsoft Security Essentials can be downloaded and used at no cost by users running genuine Windows,” Foster added.
Customers need to keep a very important detail in mind: Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 and 2.0 are completely free of charge.
Microsoft will never ask users to pay for a MSE license. It will not allow the product to install on pirated Windows copies, but still not charge a single cent for the security solution.
“This fake software is distributed by a tactic commonly described as a “drive-by download” and shows up as a hotfix.exe or as an mstsc.exe file,” Foster explained.
“Additionally, after the fake Microsoft Security Essentials software reports it cannot clean the claimed malware infection, it offers to install additional antimalware rogues (with names such as AntiSpySafeguard, Major Defense Kit, Peak Protection, Pest Detector and Red Cross). Lastly, this fake program will try to scare you into purchasing a product.”
Just as it is the case for Microsoft Security Essentials Alert, AntiSpySafeguard, Major Defense Kit, Peak Protection, Pest Detector and Red Cross are also fake AV with no actual antivirus capabilities.
Microsoft Security Essentials is available for download here.
Remove Fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert / ThinkPoint