Over the last few months, GURU’s helpdesk has seen an increase in the amount of calls related to spyware and malware disguising itself in the form of an antivirus program. This week, Google confirmed GURU’s findings, reporting that the number of fake antivirus warnings, designed to scam computer users out of money, has increased five times over the past year. Google reports that these fake antivirus warnings now represent about 15% of all malware that Google detects on its websites.

These fake antivirus warnings have become so evolved that it can detect what operating system the end user is running, and mask its appearance to look as if it is a legitimate Windows-initiated security warning, falsely alerting the user that their computer is infected. Generally, no matter what action the user chooses, they are redirected to a website where they can purchase a virus removal program. On top of that, the fake antivirus program gets installed on the computer, usually rendering the computer unusable. It does this by preventing the user from uninstalling the program and preventing Windows updates, antivirus product, and practically all essential executables from running.

Computer users should take caution when encountered with a fake antivirus message. Users are strongly advised to close their web browser immediately when coming across a popup of this nature. End users are strongly advised to install antivirus software from a reputable vendor, such as Symantec, Norton, or McAfee, on their computers and to run weekly scans. End users are also encouraged to install antispyware and antimalware programs, such as Spybot Search & Destroy and MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, and run regular scans and immunizations. If, despite taking these precautions, the computer still becomes infected, seek an IT professional for help in removing the threat.