Suspicious AntiVirus Alert Popped Up on Web Page

Anonymous
2013-05-11T03:08:31+00:00

I am suspicious about messages that popped up when I went to a web page I'd never been to before. First a message popped up stating "Microsoft Antivirus has found critical process activity on your PC. You need to clean your computer to prevent system breakage."  And then right afterwards another message appeared -- I might have pressed okay --  in a rectangular box with a thick red stripe across the top that read "Potential Threat Details," and then below "Microsoft Security Essentials detected potential threats that might compromise your privacy or damage your computer. You need to clean your computer immediately to prevent the system crash."  But I noticed that "might" was spelled "mihgt." Then below that it listed the threats as:

Trojan PSW.Win32Launch

HackTool:Win32/Welevate.A

Adward.Win32Fraud

It said each of the three was "critical" and "active" and recommended I "remove" them.

Then below all this was a box I could check that said "clean computer."

Now aside from the misspelling of "might," I do not have Microsoft Security Essentials; I have Windows Defender, so I'm pretty sure this is a fake alert.

And I didn't press "clean computer." But I'm wondering what would have happened if I had; would I have gotten a virus, or a sales pitch to buy more antivirus software? But mostly I want to know what really will happen when my antivirus program -- which, again, is Windows Defender for Windows 8 -- does detect a real virus. It hasn't happened yet so I don't know, and I also would like to be able to distinguish the real alerts from the fake ones, especially if the fake ones do not have misspelled words as a telling sign.

Thanks

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Security and privacy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-05-11T09:37:27+00:00

It is a fake alert and creater of that alert can enter as many virus names as he/she can, don't worry about that alert. Just practice safe browsing, do not click on Ads (specially of unknown source), always use original software and download them from their genuine sites only. Run scans from the tools you downloaded, and use free version only (neither Pro nor Trial).

About Trojan in quarantine-

Items in quarantine are neutral and cannot harm your PC, just like criminals in jail. There is no need to delete items in quarantine. You can also run a full scan of your PC to ensure no virus is lurking in your PC.

Was this answer helpful?

60+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-05-13T15:28:33+00:00

As per your description above, except for the part... "it said it couldn't do much with that"... (Don't know what you mean by this?)

When someone tries to close AdwCleaner after clicking on 'Search' button then AdwCleaner alerts that it has only scanned for Adwares, not removed them and asks to click on 'Delete' button to complete removal. This is what he is trying to say.

Was this answer helpful?

20+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

71 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2013-05-18T11:33:58+00:00

    ... my question is, do I need to abandon Kapersky and install Windows Defender, McAfee, or Norton anti-virus?

    No, no need for McAfee or Norton - nor you can install WD on W8 - as WD is already build into your OS ready to work. All you need to do is uninstall Kaspersky as advised above by Steve, and WD shall enable itself to help you in protecting your PC.

    Shall any issues/queries arise, please open your own-new thread in the corresponding forum.

    PS, the adware driving me crazy was something from something called Platopus...

    See this related thread on Playtopus.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2013-05-18T02:17:23+00:00

    You can actually remove Kaspersky, run the Kaspersky cleanup tool:

    Kaspersky:

    **http://support.kaspersky.com/1464**

    ***http://support.kaspersky.com/downloads/utils/kavremover.exe**

    And on reboot, you should be able to enable Defender to handle your security on Windows 8.

    Windows Defender on Windows 8 wiki:

    http://experts.windows.com/w/experts\_wiki/163.aspx

    -steve

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2013-05-17T22:29:11+00:00

    Thank you for your links to spyware removal. It worked for me. I am a basic end user who has always been vigilant about virus attacks and keep my IE settings pretty locked down. I have never had a problem until I had a major Windows 8 64 bit fail on my new Toshiba laptop.  I ended up doing a restore and reinstalling a driver that apparently was the problem.

    I have Kaspersky 2013 installed because it came with the laptop. I do not have Windows Defender on the laptop after the OS restore. Kapersky never detected the virus'. My question is, I never had a problem with McAfee, ESET, or Norton about blocking adware and malware. This is pretty much been a nightmare for me and my question is, do I need to abandon Kapersky and install Windows Defender, McAfee, or Norton anti-virus?

    PS, the adware driving me crazy was something from something called Platopus and Inkstr.com.  Thank you again for your solution.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments