Fake Windows Action Center

While the real Windows Action Center is a default tool that helps to maintain Windows security and resolve various system problems, the Fake Windows Action Center is a malicious substitute that keeps the appearance of Windows Action Center while it gives you false information about your PC. Typically, such attacks are associated with rogue anti-malware scanners and are used to promote scamware products by implying that some form of anti-malware protection has yet to be activated. While Fake Windows Action Centers are common characteristics of FakeRean-based fake anti-malware programs, SpywareRemove.com malware analysts have found evidence of Fake Windows Action Center attacks persisting for many years. To restore the real Windows Action Center, you should use actual anti-malware products to remove Fake Windows Action Center safely in scans that are thorough enough to catch any affiliated PC threats.

Setting Fake Windows Action Center Apart from Your Real Windows Security

SpywareRemove.com malware researchers have found that the Fake Windows Action Center, in most respects, strives to look identical to the real Windows Action Center. However, you should be on the lookout for common attributes of a Fake Windows Action Center that, along with other symptoms that are common to fake anti-malware programs, can be used to detect related PC threats. Examples of a Fake Windows Action Center include traits such as:

• Fake Windows Action Center may ask you to install or activate a hitherto unknown brand of security software. By default, the real Windows Action Center restricts itself to monitoring Windows Defender and/or Microsoft Security Essentials.
• Fake Windows Action Center may recommend that you purchase an unknown brand of security software (Windows Defender and other basic Windows security programs are free).
• Fake Windows Action Center may detect malware that is unlikely to be on your computer, especially high-level PC threats such as rootkits and variants of spyware like banking trojans. SpywareRemove.com malware experts stress that the real Windows Action Center can't detect PC threats on its own – at most, it can detect symptoms and system problems that may be associated with the presence of malicious software.

Kicking the Fraud Out to Get Your Action Back to Where You Want It

The Fake Windows Action Center's attacks may be used in conjunction with attacks from many types of fake anti-malware programs, but FakeRean scamware is especially prone to such exploits. Some samples of such fake anti-malware programs that SpywareRemove.com malware experts are familiar with include Antivirus Pro 2010, Vista Anti-Spyware 2011, Total XP Security, Vista Home Security 2013, Win 7 Internet Security 2013, XP Guardian and Win 7 Security 2012. As you can see from these examples, FakeRean scamware includes highly variable brand names that often attempt to portray themselves as being affiliated with specific versions of Windows.

Since the presence of a Fake Windows Action Center will impede your ability to use the real Action Center's security features, SpywareRemove.com malware research team strongly recommends that you delete the Fake Windows Action Center with as much expediency as possible. Anti-malware software that can remove scamware associated with the Fake Windows Action Center also should be able to remove the Fake Windows Action Center.