StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/

StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ is a website used to distribute fake security software through drive-by-downloads and fraudulent security alerts. Along with its traditional scamware, StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ also may attempt to install other kinds of PC threats, such as Trojan downloaders from the Zlob family. Despite its appearance as a 'safe' site that supposedly wants to help protect your PC, malware experts discourage any contact with StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ and strongly advise the use of anti-malware products to disinfect any PC that may have had a brush with this toxic website.

A Preview of What Awaits Your PC with StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/

StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ is a specialist in the threat industry as a Web domain that promotes fake software products to encourage you to purchase their 'services.' Contact with StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ may result in the victim being forced to sit through a simulated system scan, series of fake pop-up alerts or other prompts that ultimately request you to install a rogue security product. The product in question may be marketed in the disguise of an anti-spyware, anti-virus or general anti-malware program.

Malware experts consider variants of FakeRean to be the most probable payload from StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/, which may install its threats regardless of whether or not you choose to download anything at its request. Typical scamware products distributed by StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ attacks may generate fraudulent security warnings, (inaccurately) imitate the system scans of an actual anti-malware product, display fake warning pages in your browser and/or block real security applications.

How to Beat a Fake Security Problem with Genuine Security Software

Although fraudulent security warnings and other such symptoms are the most obvious aspects of a scamware infection, they also may be implicated in other attacks, such as disabling security features or installing new PC threats. Malware experts currently categorize StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ as a compromised website and infection vector that always should be avoided. If your browser does have any unprotected contact with StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/, you should immediately act on the possibility of your PC being infected through drive-by-download exploits.

If software installed through StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ blocks necessary security programs or features, disabling most basic PC threats can be done with Safe Mode or, in extreme cases, by a reboot from a separate OS loaded onto any peripheral device. With a sterile scanning environment providing, your anti-malware products can remove StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ from your PC with no long term ill effects.

You also should be attentive to the various disguises fake security products from StartPagePreview.com/security/xp/ are likely to use during their attacks. Some of the samples of brand names that malware experts have come across include Win 7 Defender Pro, Privacy Protection, XP Home Security 2012, XP Guardian, Vista Antivirus Pro 2010 and Total Win 7 Security. However, this list isn't conclusive, and new members are being added to prominent scamware families on a regular basis.

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