Watch out for fake antivirus scams.
A recent discovery from Kaspersky Labs revealed fake antivirus software, called Antivirus8 that pops up along with a legitimate looking ad on ICQ, a popular instant messaging program. The pop-up browser window scares users into believing their computer has virus activity. It then prompts them to download a fake antivirus program.
Scareware. It is not new, but this type of malware continues to evolve and pop up all over the web. Sometimes scareware just tricks you into buying fake antivirus software, but other times it can hold your computer hostage.
What should you do about it? If you see a message pop up with a message that makes you think your computer is infected, ask yourself these questions:
1. What antivirus software do I usually run? If the name on the pop-up window does not match the antivirus program you have on your computer, close the window using the X at the upper right window border. Do not click in the window on any buttons, since they may take you places where you do not want to be.
2. Does the pop-up window look like it is in a web browser? If the pop-up window looks similar to web browser pop-up windows (like Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome), it is probably a scam.
3. What happens if you close everything? If you close all of the windows on your desktop and click on your antivirus icon in your system tray (at the lower right of the screen), does it give you the same warning? Rely on your own antivirus software to detect and correct problems.
Do not fall for the scam. When in doubt, carefully close the pop-up.