Call Us: 888-387-5670
Scare-ware: What It Is and How to Avoid It
Scare-ware is malicious software that is sold or marketed to users under the premise that it is actually anti-virus or anti-malware software. Companies that produce scare-ware use scare tactics, fear, and unethical advertising techniques to trick users into downloading and installing their fake products. Some scare-ware products are offered for free, but others cost anywhere from fifteen to seventy dollars.
Scare-ware is marketed to users through pop-up and banner ads on websites. These ads typically warn that a user’s computer is infected with malicious software and then offer to sell users an anti-virus solution. The ads then provide links to fake anti-virus and anti-malware solutions – software that pretends to clean the user’s computer.
In reality, once the software is installed, scare-ware usually functions like typical spyware or other malicious junk-ware programs: they can log user keystrokes, increase the number of pop-up ads, infect the user’s computer with other types of malware, steal personal information, or configure the computer to become a member of a bot-net (a distributed computer network used by hackers).
This is the most devious aspect of the scare-ware model – users that were not previously infected are frightened into believing they are. They adopt the scare-ware hoping to clean an infection, but actually become infected. On top of that, since many scare-ware programs are sold, not offered freely, users often take a hit in the pocketbook and are offered no recourse for a refund. There have been a few cases of scare-ware companies taken to court, but often this is months or years after users have already been fleeced.
The only thing actually scary about scare-ware is how devastatingly effective it is. Most computer users are afraid of being infected, so scare-ware companies play directly to those fears to market their products. Beyond that, the scare-ware programs themselves are typically designed to resemble legitimate and recognizable brands like Symantec, Kaspersky, and Sophos. The design similarities are used to sell the “legitimacy” of scare-ware programs.
So how do you protect yourself against it?
Stay knowledgeable and use smart browsing habits. There is a chance that any website running scare-ware advertisements is infected with malware. Stay away from websites and pop ups that advertise scare-ware. The only anti-malware software you purchase should be from a legitimate vendor, one that you are familiar with. Make sure you validate the URL of the vendor before purchasing anything. Lack of common sense is how most users get infected. The most important protection is proactive learning.
Don’t believe the ads. There is no way a website can scan your computer to know if you’re infected or not, unless you give it specific permission, usually by installing an add-on or some other piece of code. If you open a page and it automatically tells you that your computer is infected – it’s a blatant and dirty lie. Don’t be fooled.
Run your own anti-virus software, from a legitimate vendor, on your computer at all times. This will help protect against threats, but it will also give you the peace of mind to make rational decisions. Utilize a tiered security environment that includes managed anti-malware, a firewall, spam-filtering, and other security solutions. The best security is multi-layered.
