AV Security 2012
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is AV Security 2012?
AV Security 2012 is a fake security scanner derived from the same family as System Protection 2012, Guard Online, and many others. Internet criminals change the names of their rogue programs and continue to distribute these bogus programs across the Internet.
Like its predecessors, AV Security 2012 self-installs on users' computers without permission. Internet criminals use numerous methods to proliferate misleading programs such as AV Security 2012, and recent research has proved that they are able to infiltrate legitimate ad networks and distribute their fake security scanner via trusted websites.
If your PC is infected with AV Security 2012, your work will be continually interrupted by fake security scans and fake security warning messages.
When you click the 'Remove threats' button after the fake security scan, you are redirected to a website where you will be asked to purchase a license for AV Security 2012 in order to remove the 'detected' security threats. Do not buy AV Security 2012 - it is a useless program that merely imitates the scanning of your computer for security issues.
This rogue program is created by Internet criminals with one intention - to steal money from your credit card account. If you have already purchased AV Security 2012, contact your credit card company and dispute the charges explaining that you have been fooled into purchasing a fake computer security program.
Remove AV Security 2012 from your computer immediately.
The following fake warning messages will be displayed on computers infected with AV Security 2012:
"Windows Security Alert. To help protect your computer, Windows Firewall has blocked some features of this program. Do you want to keep blocking this program? Name: Zeus Trojan Publisher: Unauthorized."
"Warning! The file "taskmgr.exe" is infected. Running applications is impossible. Please activate your antivirus software."
"Security Warning. Malicious programs that may steal your private information and prevent your system from working properly are detected on your computer. Click here to clean your PC immediately."
"Warning! Infection found. Unwanted software (malware) or tracking cookies have been found during the last scan. It is highly recommended to remove it from your computer. Keylogger Zeus was detected and put in quarantine. Keylogger Zeus is very dangerous software used by criminals to steal personal data such as credit card information, access to banking accounts, passwords to social networks and e-mails."
These security warning messages are fake. If notice that your computer is infected with AV Security 2012, remove it immediately.
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Quick menu:
- What is AV Security 2012?
- STEP 1. Remove AV Security 2012 using a registration key.
- STEP 2. Remove AV Security 2012 using Safe Mode with Networking.
AV Security 2012 removal:
Step 1
Enter any one of these AV Security 2012 activation keys in the registration window. Click the 'Enter Activation key' button located at the bottom-left corner of the main program window and paste only one of these keys (each key is on a separate line):
3541567625
8196345414
8196375436
9972439689
1171249582
2294654156
2343258649
2961332892
When the registration key is entered, AV Security 2012 will behave as if you have purchased it and will stop generating fake warnings. It will also enable some previously disabled Windows features.
Note that registering this program will not remove it from your PC. It will simply disable the fake warnings.
Step 2
This infection is known to modify your proxy settings. It intercepts your connection to the Internet and you may be unable to access some Internet resources.
To fix this, download and run the proxy removal tool. This tool runs automatically - just double click it and it will do the job.
The download link is below:
After fixing the proxy settings, you will be able to download the spyware remover
Step 3
Download, install and run the spyware removal tool. It scans your computer for AV Security 2012 and other malware infections.
If you cannot download or run the spyware remover, try running the registry fix (link below). It enables execution of programs.
Download the registryfix.reg file, double click it, click YES, and then OK.
If installation fails, you can try downloading the customized installer developed by our technicians to bypass the AV Security 2012 spyware infection. Your browser may report that this file is unsafe.
Please ignore these warnings. Download customized installer
AV Security 2012 removal instructions (on infected computer):
1. Start your computer in Safe Mode. Click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart, click OK.
During your computer starting process press the F8 key on your keyboard multiple times until you see the Windows Advanced Option menu, then select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Here is a video demonstrating how to start Windows in "Safe Mode with Networking":
Windows XP users:
Windows Vista / 7 users:
Windows 8 users:
2. Open Internet Explorer, click Tools and select Internet Options. Select "Connections".
3.Click LAN settings, if 'Use a proxy server for your LAN' is checked, uncheck it and press OK.
4. Download HijackThis and save it to your desktop. Some malicious programs are able to block HijackThis, so when you click the download link, in the Save dialog, rename HijackThis.exe to iexplore.exe and only then click the Save button.
After saving the file to your desktop, double click it. In the main HijackThis window click the “Do a system scan only” button. Select the following entries (place a tick at the left of the entries):O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [] C:\WINDOWS\system32\.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [] %AppData%\svhostu.exe
O4 - Startup: crss.exe
After selecting the required entries, click "Fix Checked". After this procedure you can close HijackThis and proceed to the next removal step.
5. Download legitimate anti-spyware software to fully remove AV Security 2012 from your computer.
Summary:
The fake antivirus programs (also known as "rogue antivirus programs" or "scareware") are applications that tries to lure computer users into paying for their non-existent full versions to remove the supposedly detected security infections (although the computer is actually clean). These bogus programs are created by cyber criminals who design them to look as legitimate antivirus software. Most commonly rogue antivirus programs infiltrate user's computer using poop-up windows or alerts which appear when users surf the Internet. These deceptive messages trick users into downloading a rogue antivirus program on their computers. Other known tactics used to spread scareware include exploit kits, infected email messages, online ad networks, drive-by downloads, or even direct calls to user's offering free support.
A computer that is infected with a fake antivirus program might also have other malware installed on it as rogue antivirus programs often are bundled with Trojans and exploit kits. Noteworthy that additional malware that infiltrates user's operating system remains on victim's computer regardless of whether a payment for a non-existent full version of a fake antivirus program is made. Here are some examples of fake security warning messages that are used in fake antivirus distribution:
Computer users who are dealing with a rogue security software shouldn't buy it's full version. By paying for a license key of a fake antivirus program users would send their money and banking information to cyber criminals. Users who have already entered their credit card number (or other sensitive information) when asked by such bogus software should inform their credit card company that they have been tricked into buying a rogue security software. Screenshot of a web page used to lure computer users into paying for a non-existent full version of antivirus security 2012 and other rogue antivirus programs:
To protect your computer from antivirus security 2012 and other rogue antivirus programs users should:
- Keep their operating system and all of the installed programs up-to-date.
- Use legitimate antivirus and anti-spyware programs.
- Use caution when clicking on links in social networking websites and email messages.
- Don't trust online pop-up messages which state that your computer is infected and offers you to download security software.
Symptoms indicating that your operating system is infected with a fake antivirus program:
- Intrusive security warning pop-up messages.
- Alerts asking to upgrade to a paid version of a program to remove the supposedly detected malware.
- Slow computer performance.
- Disabled Windows updates.
- Blocked Task Manager.
- Blocked Internet browsers or inability to visit legitimate antivirus vendor websites.
If you have additional information on antivirus security 2012 or it's removal please share your knowledge in the comments section below.
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