I,ve suddenly had a thing called "security tool" appear on my computer. It.s warning me of various "worms" & "viruses" trying to access my credit card details, it then goes on to tell me to fix the problem it will cost $89.95. Has anyone else had the same "scam" and what,s the best way to get rid of it?
Thanks in anticipation.
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www.howtogeek.com/howto/9505/how-to-remove-security-tool-and-other-roguefake-antivirus-malware/
Dont know what AV prog you are using, but most should have prevented this.
Suggest you use Microsoft Security Essentials when you have got rid of this
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 31 Oct 10 at 09:54
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Ah, viruses, malware, updates, scam updates, AV progs, Microsoft Security Essentials.
Takes me back to my dark, pre-Apple days.
But now everything in my computing firmament is sweetness and light.
Maltrap,
Follow me, and be led into the promised land.
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God preserve us from the newly converted.
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Too many Apple Mac users think that viruses and trojans are not possible. Which is obviously nonesense. Apple Mac OS X is no more secure than Windows. In fact some security features in Windows is better than on OS X. And a lot of security holes are in other programmes (Adobe Acrobat and Flash keeps creating security holes).
But for now, the malware writers are not targetting Macs but could at any point. And with more Macs in the world, it will happen. Some make money out of this malware writing you know and with more users to target then it becomes worthwhile.
For now it's probably not a big risk but it will become a risk....
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I spent a few hours unsuccessfully trying to get rid of this PITA on our (Windows 7) PC the other week - I think son had let it be downloaded. Tried following various sets of instructions, not sure whether that included those posted above, but in the end did a System Restore which did the trick.
EDIT: we use MSE but as I said I think son effectively bypassed it
Last edited by: Focus on Sun 31 Oct 10 at 10:48
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...I spent a few hours unsuccessfully...
That really does take me back.
Common sense tells me there are, and will be Apple viruses, and the MacBook did a few 'software security updates' when I took it out of the box.
But the ongoing process just seems so much less fraught.
It says in the instructions somewhere to check 'periodically' for software updates.
One of my main gripes with the constant updating of Windows was there was no practical benefit.
Same with Adobe, the HP printer software and others - just updates for the sake of it.
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Updates cost money to develop and distribute. MS has spent billions of dollars developing the mechanism and the infrastructure to distribute updates.
You don't do that "just for the sake of it"
If you didn't like it, you could have turned it off. Why not, its only a waste of time after all.
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...if you didn't like it, you could have turned it off. Why not, its only a waste of time after all...
That strikes me as a very Microsoft-like attitude.
You didn't work for them did you?
My lack of knowledge and fear of messing up the computer prevented me from turning off updates.
Far better for me to turn off Microsoft altogether, which is what I've done.
I'm sure there are many strengths to their products which suit a lot of users.
But I reckon Apple would sell loads and loads of Macs if they sold for a similar price.
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>> ...if you didn't like it, you could have turned it off. Why not, its only
>> a waste of time after all...
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>> That strikes me as a very Microsoft-like attitude.
>>
>> You didn't work for them did you?
NO - I am a MS hater, and worked for a company that tried to kill them. I have little or no admiration for MS, its founders or its management. Its a one trick pony (its failed on EVERY attempt to diversify outside its limited portfolio) that has a limited life span.
> But I reckon Apple would sell loads and loads of Macs if they sold for a similar price.
Of course they would, that's a bit of an obvious statement, they could even continue to hide the inferior internals and sell loads if they price matched. If the new mac book air was 350 quid I would be typing on one now. Knowing I could dump it in three years.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 31 Oct 10 at 11:50
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security tool - Zero
