Windows PC Backup Wizard

Posted: March 2, 2016

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Ranking:	3,345
Threat Level:	1/10
Infected PCs:	9,441

First Seen:	March 2, 2016
Last Seen:	October 17, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Windows PC Backup Wizard is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) that may promote itself through semi-invasive methods, such as persistent pop-ups. System changes associated with the Windows PC Backup Wizard have historically avoided being detected by most PC security products, and also may deliver content that blocks your screen or provides no UI controls. All PC owners uninterested in using this product should remove the Windows PC Backup Wizard or the side effects associated with its marketing by restarting and scanning their PCs with their updated security programs.

The Windows PC Backup Wizard and Its Magical Pop-Up Act

The Windows PC Backup Wizard is a product that provides software backup through company-specific accounts. Unusually for subjects of malware researchers' interest, the Windows PC Backup Wizard, alone, lacks most of the characteristics associated with unwanted or threatening software and does not rely on browser hijackings or invasive affiliate advertising as part of its business model. However, malware researchers did confirm some cases of the Windows PC Backup Wizard being promoted by system-localized pop-ups dedicated to it.

Pop-ups for the Windows PC Backup Wizard ordinarily deliver themselves through the Windows Task Scheduler. Like other tasks in that default Windows utility, these pop-ups are set to load at timed intervals throughout the day (such as noon Central Time). These pop-ups include phrasing implying the possibility of security issues with your PC, which you can resolve by registering an account with the Windows PC Backup Wizard. Significantly, the registration form included in the pop-up alert's task doesn't provide a title bar or other controls that could let the PC user resize, minimize or close it. As a result, the form will remain onscreen until the account is logged out or the system reboots.

Malware experts stress that the above system modifications don't necessarily require the Windows PC Backup Wizard's installation in the first place. However, they may be associated with the presence of specific files, including various components in the PCWDownloader and PCWUpdated folders.

Dispelling the Marketing of a Wizardly PUP

Because the Windows PC Backup Wizard's registration pop-up is not a fully-installed program, PC security tools designed for detecting unwanted programs may not identify the source of your pop-ups. Identifying the files and system changes related to it should be done by security products that include databases entries for various, unwanted system modifications, such as changes to your Hosts file or Start menu. Typically, these system changes are referred to as PUMs (Potentially Unwanted Modifications), to differentiate themselves from installed applications like PUPs or threats.

Making the correct choices for removing pop-up generators like the Windows PC Backup Wizard's scheduled tasks is only one characteristic of the overall security problem. Secondarily, you also should be concerned with the first breach of security that allowed the task's generation to occur automatically. Although malware experts still are gathering information on the delivery methods of these system changes, current evidence shows that the tasks and files are created automatically. They target business environments occasionally, which are most vulnerable to e-mail attachment-based vulnerabilities.

Whatever your feelings may be about the Windows PC Backup Wizard or the services it provides, you never should assume that a pop-up 'alert' has anything to do with your operating system or security software necessarily. Using such carefully-worded, erroneous warnings is one of the most popular methods of promoting both unwanted and threatening software, including everything from other PUPs to outright scamware.

Technical Details

Additional Information

The following URL's were detected:

https://feed.update-search.com/?q=