Pc Privacy Tool Exposed
If you are online much, the chances are that you have come across one of the many rogue anti-spyware programs such as PC Privacy Tool. It is one of many spyware hoaxes out there. These days everyone knows to be wary of the dreaded pop-up. There are certain cases when commercial programs that you visit regularly will use these to provide services. In most cases, pop-ups are commonly known as a way to scam money from the average Internet user, and PC Privacy Tool goes beyond the call of duty.
In the case of this particular program, there is very little evidence that infection occurs other than through the pop-up. However, I have heard story after story of people that have been inundated with pop-ups from this program and not been able to remove it successfully. It seems that it comes in the form of a permission-based pop-up. You might be thinking, well at least it asks my permission. Yes, they are so considerate that they ask your permission every 2-5 minutes while you are online and won't stop. Then it will continue to try to open up various web pages relating to spyware removal tools.
If you have been stung by this program, you have probably run another one to remove it without success. I have even heard of some people running three or four anti-spyware programs to remove it. This is because anti-spyware often will only catch about 60% of your problem, and then you use another one and hope that somehow you got it all. In most cases, you may be left with a small amount that can quickly regenerate when you start your computer. Believe it or not, there are options that won't require the purchase of several programs just to keep your computer safer.
The customary mode of the pop-up is through already questionable sites like peer to peer (P2P) file sharing communities, websites that may contain objectionable material, and downloading freeware or shareware. You know how it goes; you don't get something for nothing.
Even though PC Privacy Tool has no grandly creative ways to con you out of your money, it is one of the most persistent programs out there. Are you thinking about removing it yourself? You can, but be prepared to sit down for a couple of hours to go over a long list of files that you need to delete. If you don't get everything, the malware repairs itself quickly and you are back to square one. The files are very well hidden within files, folders, registry keys, and registry value sections.
To prevent reinfection of PC Privacy Tool or any other ransomware, you will want to make sure that you don't have your browser security settings too lax. Find a reputable program that offers a 100% guarantee of removal within 24 hours. This will save you valuable time and money by preventing permanent physical damage to your computer anytime you surf the 'Net.
About the Author:
Carl runs a site devoted to helping you rid your computer from all sorts of spyware and malware at http://www.spyzooka.com/