AV Security Essentials

What is AV Security Essentials?

AV Security Essentials is an example of a cleverly-designed scam. This fake antivirus program is derived from a family of misleading applications that includes Malware Protection Center, Antivirus Smart Protection, Smart Antimalware Protection, and many others.

As with these other versions, Internet criminals mimic the interface of the legitimate security program, Microsoft Security Essentials, in their latest fake program called AV Security Essentials. Like its predecessors, AV Security Essentials bears no relation to genuine security scanners and the program merely imitates the processes involved in removing spyware and malware infections from your computer.

AV Security Essentials is distributed via Trojans. Malicious code self-installs on your computer by exploiting various security vulnerabilities, and then downloads and executes AV Security Essentials.

When your computer is infected with this rogue security scanner, a fake security scan is performed each time you boot your operating system. The 'scan' will report many security infections on your machine, and if you click the 'Remove All' button, you are redirected to a website where you will be asked to purchase a license for AV Security Essentials in order to remove the 'detected' security threats.

Do not fall for this trick - AV Security Essentials is a worthless program created with the intention of stealing money from your credit card account. The security scans and warning messages generated by this program are fake.

AV Security Essentials does not hold a virus definition database, a virus scan engine, or anything required of a legitimate computer antivirus program. If you have already paid for the AV Security Essentials license, contact your credit card company and dispute the charges, explaining that you have been tricked into purchasing a fake computer antivirus program.

Use these removal instructions to remove AV Security Essentials and regain control of your PC.

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Quick menu:

• What is AV Security Essentials?
• STEP 1. Remove AV Security Essentials using a registration key.
• STEP 2. Remove AV Security Essentials using Safe Mode with Networking.

AV Security Essentials virus removal:

Before downloading, enter the AV Security Essentials registration key in the registration window. Click the Help icon (at the top right corner of the main window of AV Security Essentials), then click Register Now and enter one of these keys.

U2FD-S2LA-H4KA-UEPB
K7LY-R5GU-SI9D-EVFB
K7LY-H4KA-SI9D-U2FD

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.

AV Security Essentials virus 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 entry (place a tick at the left of the entry):

O4 – HKCU\..\Run: [AV Security Essentials] “%AllUsersProfile%\\_.exe” /s /d

After selecting the required entry, 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 Essentials from your computer.

6. After removing AV Security Essentials, reset your Hosts file. Do not skip this step, since this malware modifies your Hosts file and you will encounter browser redirect problems.

The Hosts file is used to resolve canonical names of websites to IP addresses. When it is changed, the user may be redirected to malicious websites, despite observing legitimate URLs in address bar.

It is difficult to determine if the site is genuine when the Hosts file is modified. To fix this, please download the Microsoft FixIt tool that restores your Hosts file to the Windows default.

Run this tool when downloaded and follow the on-screen instructions. The download link is below:

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 av security essentials rogue and other rogue antivirus programs:

To protect your computer from av security essentials rogue 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 av security essentials rogue or it's removal please share your knowledge in the comments section below.

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