Antispyware Pro XP loaded without permission!

Viruses and worms
1

Hi folks
I’m trying to help my son with his PC
Yesterday - he allowed a popup while on the web
and wham!! got what he thought was a malicious program
because it automatically loaded on his PC
it’s called Antispyware Pro XP

At first his PC crashed - then he managed to get it to boot
again this morning
However, he cannot use Avast because this program is
apparrently competing with AV requesting d/load - so AV cannot run
[neither could Spybot so he removed that…]

I’ve googled this program and many people are getting it
through pop ups

Now he can’t figure how to remove it because it is not
in his add/remove feature
He did manage to d/load the latest AV version to see if
he could run it – but the Antispyware Pro XP stops it
and demands a download!

Don’t know who the creeps are that put this out there but
we are now leary that “they” will be the ones “selling” the
remove feature for their own program
:o
Can anyone help???
Thanksabunch!

2

This is no doubt a rogue security application.

If you haven’t already got this software (freeware), download, install, update and run it, preferably in safe mode and report the findings (it should product a log file).

  1. SUPERantispyware On-Demand only in free version.
  2. MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, On-Demand only in free version http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/malwarebytes/mbam-setup.exe, right click on the link and select Save As or Save File (As depending on your browser), save it to a location where you can find it easily later.
3

Thanks so much!
So you say to download these programs consecutively?
and it should fix the PC

What about AV - he can’t get the AV icon on his
tray
Does he have to disable AV to load these programs?

4

uh
neither of us knows how to do anything in
“safe mode”
Can you suggest how?
Thx ;D

5

Yes download them both, save the flies somewhere you can find them later. these rogue programs are what these two programs, especially the MalwareBytes Anti-Malware are good at detecting.

Booting into safe mode http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml

You should also read this information, http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/malware-removal/remove-antispyware-pro-xp, google is your friend.

6

David

thanks so much

I sent all your tips to my son [he’s not close by]
hopefully we can work this out
without having a coronary
::slight_smile:

7

You’re welcome, hopefully your son has learnt a lesson into the bargain, not everything is as it seems.