Alias: Internet Security Essentials, Home Security Essentials, FakeAntivirus.Generic

Description: Posted on: Feb 22, 2011 1:43am

Internet Security Essentials is a new variant of Personal Internet Security 2011, Smart Engine, My Security Engine and Security Master AV. Internet Security Essentials is a fake antivirus product which hijacks your computer and uses scare tactics to get you to purchase the full version. Just like its predecessors, Internet Security Essentials is very good at eluding detection. In order for Internet Security Essentials to stop you from removing it, it disables your existing antivirus and antispyware programs and blocks access to help forums and to major name brand antispyware and antivirus vendor websites. It can also disable Task Manager so that you don't shut it down manually. Additionally, Internet Security Essentials modifies your 'hosts' file which basically hijacks your Internet connection. This can be used to block access to certain websites, and to re-direct your searches to websites of Internet Security Essentials's choice. Internet Security Essentials adds several hundred entries to your registry under the 'Image File Execution Options' key. These entries are used to block access to several hundred programs.

Internet Security Essentials occasionally harasses the user with warnings and messages saying that their computer is infected and is under attack from hackers. In most cases we have seen, Internet Security Essentials was installed by a trojan or mistakenly downloaded from one of many fraudulent Fake Scanner Sites.

Internet Security Essentials displays exaggerated fake scan results similar to this:





Internet Security Essentials issues fake alert messages similar to those shown below:







If you are unable to run programs, this is because Internet Security Essentials has disabled them.

Internet Security Essentials Special Removal Instructions

IMPORTANT NOTE: IF YOU ARE ABLE TO RUN PROGRAMS ON THE INFECTED COMPUTER, START WITH 'STEP 1a' AND SKIP 'STEP 1b'.

IF YOU ARE ABLE UNABLE TO RUN PROGRAMS ON THE INFECTED COMPUTER, START FROM 'STEP 1b'.

Step 1a: Read IMPORTANT NOTE above! Download SpyNoMore onto the infected computer. If you are unable to download SpyNoMore directly onto the infected computer, you can download it to a clean computer and transfer it to the infected computer (by using a network or a flash drive).

Step 1b: Read IMPORTANT NOTE above! Download SpyNoMore onto the infected computer. If you are unable to download SpyNoMore directly onto the infected computer, you can download it to a clean computer and transfer it to the infected computer (by using a network or a flash drive). NOTE: This version of the installer will be named iexplore.exe.

Step 2: Double-click the downloaded file to install SpyNoMore on the infected computer. When the installation is completed, SpyNoMore will check for and download available updates which may alert Antivirus Studio 2010 to its presence at which point Internet Security Essentials may shut down SpyNoMore. If SpyNoMore is shut down by the infection, simply restart SpyNoMore from the desktop shortcut.

Step 3: SNM will scan your computer and if Internet Security Essentials is present, SNM will detect it and you will be able to see either Internet Security Essentials or FakeAntivirus.Generic. Please note that the free version of SpyNoMore will only show you the detections but will not remove them. In order to remove the infection you need to purchase a 1-year license which costs $29 (or $39 for 3 computers). In all cases, you will be able to see Internet Security Essentials in the free version scan results.

Step 4: After the scan is complete and you are able to see Internet Security Essentials in the scan results, you can purchase the activation key and proceed to remove the infection. If you are unable to purchase the activation key from the infected computer, you can do so from a clean computer by clicking on our Purchase link on spynomore.com. Simply write down the activation key and use it to activate SNM on the infected computer. This will remove Internet Security Essentials and restore your internet connection. You will again be able to run your programs and applications without trouble.

Step 5 (optional): It would be a good idea to check your computer for rootkits (which are basically hidden trojans) which may have tagged along with Internet Security Essentials. To do so, download and run TDSSKiller by Kaspersky Labs.

Step 6 (optional): If TDSSKiller does find a rootkit, it will ask you to restart your computer so that it can remove the rootkit(s). After your computer restart, scan your computer once more with SpyNoMore to make sure everthing is OK.

Threat type:

Hijacker - A Hijacker is a software application that takes control of your browser's settings. Usually it changes your home page and redirects it to some unknown site or modifies your search settings. It prevents you from changing back your browser's settings. An infected browser usually operates much slower.

Ransomware - Ransomware is a software application that infects a computer and asks for money to have the infection removed.

Trojan - A Trojans or Trojan Horse is any programs that installs itself secretly normally via malware programs, quite often with sinister intent. Once installed, the trojan author (hacker) can gain complete control of the infected PC. Trojans are usually designed to steal sensitive information and/or destroy the system. Trojans can be distributed as unsolicited email attachments, or bundled with freeware and shareware programs.

Advice: Remove This is a very high risk threat and should be removed immediately as to prevent harm to your computer and / or to protect your privacy.

Detection:
SpyNoMore removes Internet Security Essentials: Yes

Threat risk: Very High Risk

Extremely dangerous malware. Uses stealth installation, randomly named entries and has the capability to self update or resurrect after incomplete removal. Almost impossible to remove manually. Category mostly consists of trojans and spyware.

Symptoms:

Internet Security Essentials gets installed without your permission.

Inability to run programs.

You cannot simply uninstall Internet Security Essentials as it is malware and does not come with an uninstaller.

Inability to open Task Manager.

A message "Warning! Virus detected. Trojan-Spy.HTML.Bankfraud.ra"

Following balloon message is displayed:

System Alert!

Malicious applications, which may contain Trojans, were found on your computer and are to be removed immediately. Click here to remove these potentially harmful items using Internet Security Essentials.

Internet Security Essentials Signature Details: The following information includes some of the standard signatures associated with this spyware threat. Please do not attempt to manually remove these items from your computer; Removing these items incorrectly or partially can cause your computer to experience critical errors, prevent your computer from restarting or cause loss of Internet connectivity. Should you be infected with Internet Security Essentials, you can clean your computer by downloading SpyNoMore now.

Running Process Signatures:
N/A

File Signatures:
N/A

Registered Dll (Dynamic Link Library) Signatures:
N/A

Folder Signatures:
N/A

Registry Signatures:
N/A

SpyNoMore Collected Residual File Signatures:
N/A

See Also:
fullpageads.info
b00kmarks.com
Windows Optimal Tool
Mega Antivirus 2012
Windows Express Settings
Windows Privacy Agent
Windows Processes Organizer
Windows Troubles Analyzer
Windows Performance Manager
Windows Efficiency Manager