Microsoft TechNet team has warned against a new malware "FakeSysdef".
Initially it was "System Defragmenter", then "Scan Disk" and now it's called "Check Disk". While the name will most certainly change again, the main goal of Trojan:Win32/FakeSysdef will surely remain the same: to trick you into buying a piece of software that does nothing except scare you with fake warnings, critical "errors" and other "problems".
As the name suggests, this malware imitates a hard disk defragmenter. It will pretend to scan your computer for problems such as: it "checks" if your hard disk is working correctly, "defragments" it, and even checks the health status of your RAM and GPU (Graphic Processor Unit). Of course, once you start checking for problems using this 'program' it is going to "find" a bucketful of them:
- Bad sectors
- RAM fragmentation
- Registry errors
- Very high CPU/GPU temperature
- RAM failures
Apparently all those problems can be resolved by just running the "defragmentation" function on your hard drive; unfortunately that component is not "enabled" and to enable it you need to buy the full version of the product. You kind of expected that right?
If you choose not to buy the product, it will just stay in your status bar and will remind you every few minutes that your computer has problems that should be fixed.
Even though this malware is relatively new (only appeared 2 months ago) it has already passed through various iterations.
Fortunately Microsoft Security Essentials can detect all these versions. :)
This article was posted by VG in following section: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP.
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Christian
I dont use CheckDisk,
Thnx Anyway :-)
leomate
LOL, Hacker just Know if we know roque antivirus.
Doesnt get any idea, got new segment at system tools.
BUT my software to fix :
Bad sectors
-> HDD regenerator and backup data
RAM fragmentation
-> RAM doesn't have fragmentation (aka Only temp acess memory)
Registry errors
-> Tune Up utilities 2011
Very high CPU/GPU temperature
-> Change Fan or Thermal Paste
RAM failures
-> But ram (Today RAM price is cheap)
master
Thank you VG! But i prefer other software other than Microsoft® System Defragmenter, Microsoft® Scan Disk or Windows® Check Disk. But i will look out for some more information of all rouge antiviruses. I have sent you a pm(private message) regarding another rouge antivirus. ;-)
SCBright
Thanks for the warning.
Hao Zhang
avast! Protects against this right?
Uewd
Thanks for warning about this fake tool.