subject: Securing Your Machine - Securewarrior May Not Be The Best Tool [print this page] While people use their computers for very different reasons, one thing they have in common is the desire to protect them and their personal information. Rogue antivirus programs like SecureWarrior seek to use this desire to protect in order to persuade computer users to purchase useless software. Knowing about these programs is important so you can both protect your system and your wallet.
The Rogue SecureWarrior
Rogue antivirus programs all have the same goal, which is to convince computer users that they have severe security risks, as well as to convince them that their particular program is the only solution. SecurityWarrior is no different. In fact, it is virtually identical to many other rogues, including TrustFighter, TrustSoldier, SafeFighter, and Trust Cop. They are all part of the WinSoft family. As such, if you can recognize one, you can recognize them all. This is important in avoiding the issues that accompany a rogue program, such as pop-ups, slow computer performance, and changed browser settings. While these programs may be effective in persuading computer users of security risks, they are often the only risk to the system.
The goal of any program that is like this is to get you to download the full version of the program, and those issues you see with each of these programs may prove a bit convincing to novice or inexperienced computer users. Once you learn a bit more about this program and the others like it, though, you may also learn a little about what to do when you spot the signs and symptoms.
What Does SecureWarrior Do?
Like its brothers, SecureWarrior uses pop-up ads and other means to create the appearance of security issues in your computer. Whenever you boot up your computer, you will see warning messages. A typical one will tell you:
This PC is NOT PROTECTED!!!
You can then select the option to remove the infections with SecureWarrior. This is a false message and should be taken as a sign that a rogue antivirus program has been installed.
You will also be greeted by a false scan result window whenever you are on your computer. This also tells you that you are at risk. The window looks very similar to those generated by legitimate programs, so take a minute to read it carefully. You will notice that the name SecureWarrior appears in both top corners. Knowing your security program is not SecureWarrior, you can then recognize this as a false scan. But, you may ask, what are all the infections the scan found? Do I have threats to my system I need to take care of?
This is a good question, and many people assume that there are threats, which is what SecureWarrior wants. It does display a list, but it is not of infections. It is a list of harmless files that SecureWarrior created to further their objective. This rogue program does not and cannot scan your computer. This scan result window is only an ad, albeit a very realistic-looking one.
When rogue programs are installed in your computer, they configure themselves to launch upon start-up. They continue to run the entire time your computer is on, and they will use a great deal of your CPU. This causes a general slowdown in your computers performance. By itself, this could indicate any number of issues, but in conjunction with the pop-ups, it is a good sign that a rogue like SecureWarrior has been installed.
SecureWarrior will also try to divert you to its website whenever possible. You may find that you have new icons in your system tray or desktop shortcuts. Your homepage may be replaced with the SecureWarrior site, and you may be directed there when trying to navigate to other pages. Again, you will be urged to purchase the software so all of the issues with your computer are resolved. Remember, though, that SecureWarrior is the cause, not the solution.
It is important to note that the advertisements that appear on your computer for this program can pop up in a variety of different ways. While lots of them do look like typical pop up ads, some of them can look like messages from your system. Just as you may see a typical Windows Notification Balloon popping up near your clock, so too can one of these messages mimic that form. Thats part of why theyre so convincing. However, understanding that any message for SecureWarrior is part of the overall sales pitch may help you to better deal with this program.
I Didnt Install SecureWarrior, Did I?
In some cases, the computer user will intentionally install SecureWarrior, believing that it is a legitimate security program. This is certainly understandable, given the desire we all have to protect our systems. Unfortunately, the product does not really exist. You get nothing in return for your money. The full licensed version is absolutely the same as the free trial version: they are both useless.
If you didnt install SecureWarrior directly, it is possible for it to have come in with a Trojan. In the myth, the Trojan Horse carried an unpleasant surprise for the Trojans. It is exactly the same in terms of your computer. The Trojan is disguised and when it gains access to your system, it leaves malware, including SecureWarrior or other rogue antivirus programs. How does this happen?
Trojans are often associated with adult sites, and indeed, these sites are often affected. But Trojans are also known to lurk in sites that feature gaming, social networking, instant messaging, and gambling material. Free videos are also often bundled with Trojans, and they can enter without your knowledge. A common one is Zlob. When you download a video, you need a codec in order for it to play. Zlob masquerades as a codec and gains access to your system. With Zlob comes the malware.
Whether or not you downloaded SecureWarrior or it came in with a Trojan, it is imperative that you take steps to remove it immediately.
