How to Spot and Protect Yourself from Fake Antivirus Software

 

Do you suspect a fake antivirus might have infected your system? Try performing a Deep Scan using an updated antivirus tool like T9 Antivirus. This security tool will help detect and delete rogue programs from your computer. Moreover, its real-time protection, Malware Protection, Exploit Protection, and Web Protection will strengthen system security.   Get T9 Antivirus From Here

The importance of security software to stay protected from viruses, malware, spyware, adware, and other malicious threats is no secret. Sadly, cybercriminals also understand how critical a security solution is. Hence, to infect systems, threat actors trick users into downloading fake antivirus – software that looks like a real security tool but works otherwise.

In most cases, designed to make money, steal data, corrupt systems, and do other nasty things, fake antivirus falls into the category of scareware. But what exactly is fake antivirus software? What are the signs of fake antivirus software?

Read the entire post to understand rogue antivirus and how to protect against fake antivirus.

Unfortunately, fake antivirus software is one of the most prevalent online threats. Therefore, we must gather as much information as possible to stay protected from such scams. Doing so will help stay protected against fake antivirus.

What is a Fake Antivirus?

A rogue antivirus that looks like a security tool that does more harm than good is a fake antivirus.

It generally gets downloaded from those flashy and promising pop-up messages or banners that say your system is infected to clean threats running the scan.

This message looks so promising that you download the fake or rogue antivirus. But that should never be the case. Rogue antivirus software often fools users, using words like antispyware, defender, security, and other synonyms. Some common examples are – Internet Defender 2021, Security Scanner 2021, etc. Sometimes, they are a variation of malware disguised under a similar name to legitimate antivirus software like Antivirus Windows 2021, System Care Antivirus, and more.

Read More – Tips to Avoid Downloading Malicious Code the Biggest Cybersecurity Threat

Not only this but to avoid being detected, fake antivirus software disables the genuine security software, making it difficult for the user to identify & remove them.

How to Identify Fake Antivirus?

Identifying fake antivirus is not easy; it looks like an authentic security program and has all the elements a genuine antivirus has, like –

• A status page.
• Settings page.
• Scan buttons.
• Security level, etc.

But when you take a closer look, you will find things like –

• Spelling and grammar mistakes
• No company logo
• Odd button placement
• Visual glitch, etc.

All these are clear-cut signs of rogue antivirus. Perhaps the most prominent is that fake antivirus will interfere with your work and initiate scans without your approval. Furthermore, it will display pop-up ads, warning messages, etc. Given that, some genuine antivirus programs also show pop-up messages, but rogue antiviruses are worse.

If this scares you and you are looking for a genuine security tool, try using T9 Antivirus. You can check its official website to collect more information.

What Does a Fake Antivirus Do?

• Causes panic.
• Lures victims into paying for the service.
• Secretly modifies system settings to corrupt files and steal data.
• It sometimes mimics a system crash and a blue screen of death to scare the user.
• Slows down computer performance.
• It makes the users believe the system is infected.

Read Also- How Can An Antivirus Speed Up Your PC

How to Remove a Fake Antivirus?

Removing rogue antivirus depends on the variant your system is infected with. If you suspect that your system is infected, follow these steps.

To remove a fake antivirus, run a full system scan using an updated antivirus, such as T9 Antivirus. You can perform Quick Scan, Deep Scan, or Custom Scan, as your choice.

If the fake antivirus blocks you from running the scan, which is unlikely, try killing it from Task Manager and then run T9 Antivirus.

Once scanning and cleaning are done, restart the system to apply changes.

How to Stay Protected from Fake Antivirus?

To stay protected from rogue antivirus, keep the following tips in mind:

1. Never trust pop-up ads or banners telling you your system is infected with many errors.
2. Keep your browsing history clean so scammers can’t use the search history to show ads. As they know you have searched for an antivirus product, they start showing pop-ups or sending email links.
3. Do not install any security tool or software without researching the company selling it. Don’t trust it just because the advertisement looks attractive or the app looks great.
4. Avoid clicking on links or banners to download the software, as this could lead to malicious sites or allow malware to download.
5. Always perform a quick search before taking any action.
6. Take advantage of the security settings your trusted antivirus offers. If you don’t have any antivirus installed, try using T9 Antivirus.

Read More – How to Protect Your Devices Against Malware

How do you keep yourself protected from fake antivirus infections?

To stay protected, as mentioned earlier, you need to keep your eye open, and before clicking on any link, think twice. The security of your data is in your hands and your priority; you should never underestimate it. If you don’t have a security tool installed on your machine, try using this T9 Antivirus.

Get T9 Antivirus From Here

With the right system in place, you can stay protected from malware, viruses, and other threads that are there to steal your information.

We hope you find the information helpful and will remember these tips to stay protected from fake antivirus. Do share your feedback with us in the comments section.