Trend Micro, October 2, 2008. Rogue AV Tactics Continue to Threaten
October has just begun and Trend Micro threat researchers keep seeing more and more — slightly different, but yet increasingly more annoying — variations to the set of rogue AV infection signals we have been documenting on this blog.
Fake BSOD (actually a screensaver) now sports a specific mention of the problem — an unregistered version of a certain AV product.
Now even the fake reboot screen (also a screensaver) has text
The bogus reboot screen poses as Microsoft’s Security Center and recommends you activate your anti virus protection software, (which happens to be AntiVirus 2009).
Certifiedbug, September 29, 2008.
Microsoft and Washington State’s lawsuits reveal ’scareware’ defendants
Microsoft also filed five “John Does” lawsuits. Nameless defendents until discovery reveals the identities of the individuals responsible for marketing the scareware, aka ‘rogues’.
The actual products are well known in the security community and forums that help victims of malware infections.Antivirus 2009
Microsoft® Malware Protection Center, October 2, 2008.
Rogue Antivirus - A Closer Look at Win32/Antivirusxp
Subratam Biswas and Scott Wu.
Fake security applications have always been good at confusing end-users. Win32/Antivirusxp is no difference in that aspect, and with names such as Antivirus2008, XPAntivirus, Windows Antivirus, Antivirus 2008 XP, confusion is hard to avoid.
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