What is Fake antivirus software?

Fake antivirus software is one of the most persistent threats on the internet today. Masquerading as legitimate antivirus software, these malicious programs extort money from you to “fix” your computer. 

This new “antivirus” program even disables legitimate security software that you already have, leaving you exposed to real threats. These rogue programs catch unsuspecting users by displaying a browser popup that warns you that your computer may be infected, and that you need to download a (fake) security software to fix the problem.

This type of malware is often referred to as “scareware” since the pop-ups use messages like “You have a virus,” as a way to get you to click. Most of us are eager to get rid of any potential problems as quickly as possible, which opens a huge window of opportunity for these bad actors.

 If successful, the cybercriminals get your credit card details and other personal information, and you get nothing but malware in return.