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Trojan:W32/Fakealert

Classification

Category:

Malware

Type:

Trojan

Aliases:

  • Trojan.fakealert.[variant]

Summary

Trojan:W32/Fakealert is a large group of malware that either tricks the user into installing other malicious programs - typically rogue antivirus software - onto the affected machine, or silently downloads and installs such programs itself.

Removal

Technical Details

Most Fakealert variants will either silently install themselves on the user's machine by exploiting a vulnerability in the system or an installed application; or will use a social engineering ploy to trick the user into installing it themselves (usually by pretending to be a desired program, such as a codec, a video or a game).

Once present on the system, the Fakealert malware will display a fraudulent notification or alert designed to alarm users into believing that their system is infected with spyware. The user is then either encouraged to purchase these rogue security applications, or the program is silently downloaded and installed on the affected machine.

A representative example of how a Fakealert malware behaves is:

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