AntiVirus 2008 XP – Path To Infection
First, don’t click on any emails claiming to be an update from MSN or Microsoft. MSN/Microsoft never sends emails about a “Free Update”. If you want to update your PC *always* go to Microsoft.com (NEVER click on any links in an email offering windows updates).
Next, I did click on this link through one of my clean Virtual Machines. Let’s see what happens, let us observe the path to infection!
1. I received an email to my personal business account. Spam Assassin does not recognize it as spam and lets it on through.
2. I click on the link. I can see the link takes me to a .swf (a flash file) hosted at imageshack.com.
3. As soon as the .swf loads (almost instantly) I am prompted to download install.exe. I choose to open the file (pretending I am non-suspecting user seeking a windows update).
4. We are now presented with a license agreement for AntiVirus XP 2008 which we can only agree to.
5. As soon as I agree, Antivirus XP 2008 is loaded almost instantly.
6. Oh WOW! 2506 infections on a clean PC! Obviously a complete lie designed to scare people.
7. …and if I try to uninstall it…oh, what a shock! The uninstaller crashes.
8. Well, I guess I’ll just remove those viruses. When I click the remove viruses button I’m sent to a website to purchase this fake antivirus program for $49.95.
Not only will I lose $49.95, but I’ll also give up my identity to a international ring of thieves!!!
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LOL its relly stupid to tink thet in your PC have 2500 viruss.. !
but some ppl buy ruges …
I work on fixing people’s computers as well. Alot of them have been infected with antivirus2008. Seems to be the big one now a days.
my computer was infected with this virus like 2 days ago. antivirus 2008. i had avast antivirus and i had to do a boot time scan and found a lot of malwares but when i rebooted the computer the virus was still working in my computer and next time i restarted my computer it wouldnt load. the screen was blank. so i had format my harddrive and reinstall windows xp which was a pain in the ass. i am still updating softwares and xp updates. i am currently using CA security center that came with my interent service. i was wonder what you think about CA antivirus. do you think it is good? please replay or email me back. thanks
It is, only now it’s being bundled with some really nasty rootkits.
My son got it on his laptop, I was glad it runs on Windows XP and that I learnt from this website that Combo Fix exists! It saved me a complete reinstall!