FakeSmoke

FakeSmoke, also known by Rogue:Win32/FakeSmoke, is a classification of scamware programs that use a combination of fake Windows Security Centers and fake anti-malware programs to attack your PC with fraudulent warning messages. Rogue anti-virus applications from the FakeSmoke family aren't capable of detecting actual viruses, but will, instead, create alerts about non-present PC threats as an excuse to ask you to spend money in a registration process. SpywareRemove.com malware researchers discourage buying FakeSmoke products, even if you're doing so to remove them, since deleting FakeSmoke scamware can be handled by appropriately competent anti-malware scanners. This group of rogue AV programs, like most such subgroups, encompasses programs that use a wide range of names to avoid detection, and you should try to identify FakeSmoke scamware with appropriate software as well as by noting their common symptoms.

FakeSmoke: Leading to a Real Fire of a Security Crisis

FakeSmoke products rotate through a range of different names that allow them to promote themselves in the form of independent and supposedly effective anti-virus products. Examples of FakeSmoke aliases include WinBlueSoft, WiniFighter, TrustNinja, Soft Soldier, SystemCop, SaveArmor, SoftVeteran, BlockKeeper, SiteVillain and even the rather questionably-named LinkSafeness. Other than their names, these programs have minimal differences and you should expect attacks like the ones noted below from any type of FakeSmoke scamware:

• A fake Windows Security Center. Although FakeSmoke's Security Center looks identical to the actual Windows Security Center, its positive features are nonexistent. This fraudulent Security Center has no purpose except to create fake alerts that encourage you to buy or use FakeSmoke products.
• An accompanying (and, of course, fraudulent) anti-virus scanner. SpywareRemove.com malware analysts don't advise you to spend any time trying to make a FakeSmoke scanner work, since its results will always turn up nonexistent Trojans, viruses and other PC threats that aren't on your computer at all.
• Fraudulent error messages that can take a variety of different formats. They may be based on one of the programs mentioned above, appear in the form of a toolbar notification or look like an alert from your operating system. Errors may warn you about viruses, Trojans or (especially) spyware.

Clearing the Air and Getting FakeSmoke Out of Your PC

FakeSmoke scamware will alter your Windows Registry, hide their components in the Windows folder and may use random names. These characteristics make manual removal of FakeSmoke products to be less ideal by comparison to automated deletion by qualified anti-malware scanners. However, you may need to use Safe Mode or other methods to disable FakeSmoke before FakeSmoke can be deleted completely.

SpywareRemove.com malware research team encourages you to ignore any error messages that appear to be similar to the following examples, which are all confirmed fake-outs from FakeSmoke-based PC threats:

Attention: DANGER!
[FakeSmoke rogue program's name] has detected [random number] Critical SPYWARE Objects while scanning the system.

Infiltration Alert!
Your computer is being attacked by an Internet Virus. It could be a password-stealing attack, a Trojan-dropper or similar.

Spyware Alert!
Your computer is infected with spyware. It could damage your critical files or expose your private data on the Internet. Click here to register your copy of [FakeSmoke rogue program's name] and remove spyware threats from your PC.

Your computer is infected by spyware – threat have been found while scanning your files and registry. It is strongly recommended that you disinfect your PC and activate Realtime protection against future instrusions.

Your computer is under great risk! Malware applications are still running. This will lead to the leak of personal date and system collapse.

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