At Computer Troubleshooters Toowoomba East we have seen many instances of virus infections which manifest themselves as a fake virus alert screen. These seem to infect PCs/Laptops regardless of the type of Internet Security product installed. This has occurred with TrendMicro, Norton 360, ESET, AVG and even Sophos being installed on the PC.

So ……….. How do you stop this sort of thing from happening. To start let me say that there are occassions where nothing you have done has caused the problem – it is just unfortunate. But there are steps you can take to minimise the risk.

1. ALWAYS be aware of what you are doing and what screens may pop up on your screen. DO NOT just click something to get rid of it so you can continue doing whatever it is you were doing.
2. Obviously don’t go to disreputable website. This can include free software sites that can be notorious for malware/virus issues. When on Facebook be alert to who is sending you links and what those links may be. Free download sites, particularly music can cause issues.
3. Always make sure that the Internet Security program you are using is up-to-date. They should be configured to update automatically and several times a day.
4. If you do get a fake virus alert screen stop whatever you are doing and turn off the PC immediately. We have had occurrences were taking this action has been enough to stop it in its tracks. DO NOT try and click any buttons associated with this fake virus alert including the red ‘X’ in the top right of thew window.
5. Call Computer Troubleshooters immediately.