Scareware Mimics Microsoft Security Essentials

In PCMag's testing Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 didn't rate as well as the best free antivirus products. Microsoft says that's OK, because their real aim is to get free antivirus into the hands of users around the world who have no protection at all. That's fine, but what if that copy of Microsoft Security Essentials is a total impostor?

Researchers at CyberDefender recently discovered a rogue antivirus threat that does a really impressive imitation of Microsoft Security Essentials. Click on the image above to see the impostor and the real McCoy. Can you tell which is which?

Here's a clue. If you were searching for "Dancing with the Stars" and later found Microsoft Security Essentials apparently running, you're looking at the fake. I know. In reality you'd be suspicious because you never installed the product, but not everyone is as discerning as you are. (OK, the lower image is the real one).

The CyberDefender researchers also encountered a "detail window" that suggests the rogue is drawing on antivirus definitions from a veritable Who's Who of international antivirus companies. It gets worse. According to CyberDefender, "If the user chooses to continue unprotected they will not be able to access any files, programs, or folders on their machine...The fake AV will hold the user's computer ransom and try to get them to buy the full version of the fake Antivirus software".

Your existing security software really should keep this threat from installing. If it doesn't, you can probably get rid of it using a bootable Rescue CD or a tool like Norton Power Eraser that's specifically designed to remove scareware.

Originally posted to the PCMag.com security blog, Security Watch.

About Our Expert

Neil J. Rubenking

Principal Writer, Security

My Experience

When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces.

Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way, I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link.

In the early 2000s, I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years of working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions.

The Technology I Use

Much of the testing I do, particularly testing with real-world ransomware, is just plain dangerous. To perform such tests safely, I sequester them inside virtual machines managed by VMWare Workstation. For cross-platform testing, I use a MacBook Air, a Google Pixel 4, and a 6th-generation iPad.

I rely on my Delphi coding skills to create and maintain small applications. These include programs to check whether an antivirus correctly handled the malware it detected, launch dangerous URLs and record the security program’s reaction, and analyze the malware that I collect for use in testing. I also wrote a tiny browser and text editor for use in testing security apps that have predefined reactions for known products.

I do my writing and research on a Dell OptiPlex desktop, relying on Microsoft Word (my fingers know all the shortcuts). Many of my articles include charts and analysis; Excel is my go-to for those. When work hours end, though, I escape the bounds of Microsoft and Windows. There’s an iPhone in my pocket, I relax with my oversized iPad, and my Kindle Oasis is always loaded with the best science fiction and fantasy.

Read the latest from Neil J. Rubenking

Read full bio