Friday
2008-11-28, 18:05
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "VistaAntivirus2008" manually.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.
If this guide was helpful to you, please consider donating towards this site (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=donate).
Threat Details:
Categories:
malware
Description:
VistaAntivirus2008 claims to be an antispyware solution which does not work properly. There seems to be a close relation to other well known rogue antispyware tools like Fake.XPAntivirus and Windows.Antivirus2008.
Removal Instructions:
Desktop:
Please remove the following files from your desktop.
To check where they are pointing to, right-click them and choose "Properties" from the context menu appearing.
Shortcuts named "Vista Antivirus 2008" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.exe".
Autorun:
Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd), RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
Entries named "Antivirus" and pointing to "*<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV*".
Entries named "Antivirus" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.exe".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Vista Antivirus 2008.lnk".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.cpl".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.ooo".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If VistaAntivirus2008 uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If VistaAntivirus2008 uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify folders!
Final Words:
If neither Spybot-S&D nor self help did resolve the issue or you would prefer one on one help,
Please read these instructions (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288) before requesting assistance,
Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum (http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22) where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.
If this guide was helpful to you, please consider donating towards this site (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=donate).
Threat Details:
Categories:
malware
Description:
VistaAntivirus2008 claims to be an antispyware solution which does not work properly. There seems to be a close relation to other well known rogue antispyware tools like Fake.XPAntivirus and Windows.Antivirus2008.
Removal Instructions:
Desktop:
Please remove the following files from your desktop.
To check where they are pointing to, right-click them and choose "Properties" from the context menu appearing.
Shortcuts named "Vista Antivirus 2008" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.exe".
Autorun:
Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd), RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
Entries named "Antivirus" and pointing to "*<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV*".
Entries named "Antivirus" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.exe".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Vista Antivirus 2008.lnk".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.cpl".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV\vav.ooo".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If VistaAntivirus2008 uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VAV".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If VistaAntivirus2008 uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify folders!
Final Words:
If neither Spybot-S&D nor self help did resolve the issue or you would prefer one on one help,
Please read these instructions (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288) before requesting assistance,
Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum (http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22) where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.