If you haven’t come across CyberSecurity 2009 yet, I can tell you that it looks almost like the Windows Security Center. The two real difference are the name and the fact that you can’t shut it down.

It infects Internet Explorer by blocking any website which contains anything which might be used to remove it, and then it reminds you that it is unregistered and that you need to pay up. It also tells you this at boot up, adding text the this effect just underneath the blue torpedo on the initialization screen. It also disables any antispyware or anti-virus program already on the computer and, in the case I saw recently, told me that the subscription to AVG had run out. Yeah right, this was the free version when the computer owner installed it.

So, how did I fix it, bearing in mind that I was controlling the laptop via a remote connection?

IE was useless because Cyber Security blocks any attempt to download tools to kill it, but it allows the download of other stuff if you are not the type put off easily. It asks if you want to block the process and then throws up a fake ‘blue screen’ which also reminds you that you have not paid, but you can still continue.

I thought about the problem for a minute or two, and the it came to me that Cyber Security, as far as this computer was concerned, didn’t know about Firefox. So I downloaded it and sure enough, Cyber Security let it pass. It also let Firefox download anything it liked. I had to smile as I started the procedure to download and install SuperAntiSpyware. I had the problem of the fake blue screen getting in the way every now and again, but it installed and started up without any problems. As SAS slowly found one infection after another, the fake blue screen tried to throw me off, but I was on a mission.

Finally, SAS listed CyberSecurity as a rogue ant-virus application, and it was only a matter of time before I clicked on the button to remove it forever. Well, maybe not forever. I still have the task of educating the computer owner and those who use it.

Finally, I installed and ran Malwarebytes after SAS had cleaned up, and it found a couple of innocuous items, then followed up with Microsoft Security Essentials for real time protection against malware.

A little later, I received a phone call from a very happy computer owner and even though I did the above as a favour, I have been promised payment by snail mail.

The score so far..

SuperAntiSpyware  1    CyberSecurity 2009    0