How to identify Scareware threat?

When you open your doors to get into the world of internet you are also exposing yourself to the various threats. Threats like adware, spyware and malware are the most common of the types.These programs unknowingly take control of the user pc’s. So internet users are very cautious while surfing internet and downloading content. This scare exposes the user further to Scareware threat, which exploits the users scare.

What is Scareware?

Scareware is a certain type of malware that is designed to trick users that their pc’s are affected with virus and pose a threat. The user is scared about the unstable status of the system and pushed to download the offered tool for virus removal in some cases.

Identify Scareware Threat.
A Typical Scareware.

Scareware is classified as a malware called rogueware, that fakes to be an Antivirus solution which, once installed on a user’s computer, pretends to find one or more computer viruses and/or malware.
How does Scareware work?
Scareware uses Social Media like platform to point out viruses and threats on your system. The displayed message offers a free tool to scan for virus and later you need to buy the fully working tool for removal of virus.

So does this virus remove any virus? Absolutely not, there is no virus on your pc at all this is just a trick to scare the user. The Scareware compels the user to download the tool on the users machine and purchase it later.

Scareware also sometimes is given free of cost which further gets in and takes control of the system. Spyware is also known to be most sophisticated way of implanting malware on victims machine.

Identifying a Scareware threat:

Warning! Danger! Your machine is affected by a virus! Your Registry is corrupted! Such kind of alarms are general ways of a Scareware to create panic.

A Scareware threat’s success totally depends on the level of panic it creates. So the attacker who creates such Scareware takes full care that the displayed message appears to be from a legitimate source. So that victim is convinced to purchase the software.

Identify scareware threat.
Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Sometimes a Scareware is just intended to run a malicious piece of code on the user machine, better known as malware. The tool offered to download may be free but the real Scareware threat would be much bigger than just stealing a few dollars for the software download.

Protection against Spyware threat:
It is simple, anything that scares you or panics you and asks you to download. Just don’t follow its instructions. You can rely on your operating system and antivirus to do the needful for you. Scareware is a well managed attack to take control of victims machine.

Remember that you tend to loose when you panic in the virtual world and real world as well. Don’t let anyone benefit from your fears. This is the best protection against any Scareware threats.

 

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  1. Pingback: Beware : Android malware holding phone for ransom | knotrick.com

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