As if we hadn’t seen enough of the malware fake virus infections that report on our “hundreds” of infections and offer a solution at just $79.99 from am offshore website; now they get more creative.
The latest from our creative friends hide all your file and programs, offering simply a web browser that goes to a single site (theirs) and nothing more. You have no desktop, no other programs, and none of your documents and photos. You do get an alarming realistic looking display showing that you have hard disk errors and are at risk for losing everything. No messages about infections, the the physical problems.
And of course their paid solution.
Even the most novice of clients normally knows you can buy a software solution to a failing hard disk — but by now the panic has set in.
So with no desktop, personal files, and an ominous warning what’s the clue it’s malware? You can’t access MSConfig or Task Manager, bit the network is flawless. Hmmm. The hard disk is toast, but the site for their solution works fine?
I don’t know the origin of the infection — and low risk users have been getting it — but it’s been the most common one I’ve seen the the last six weeks. I’ve averaged two a week even with my modest client base. The first day I found it I actually had three calls on the same.
The good news is safe mode always works. Safe mode with networking even allows browsing other sites. In many cases simply running the MalwareBytes quick scan has resolved the issue. In a few cases the solution was Combofix.
Unfortunately I have yet to see any of the antivirus standard installations recognize it or wipe it out. The clients infected so far were using McAfee, Avast, and Norton. I’m sure and update for those will come, until this use one of the third party packages mentioned, or call for help.
Location:Yuba City, CA
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