Internet Protector

Posted: February 29, 2012

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:	16,758
Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	314

First Seen:	February 29, 2012
Last Seen:	August 15, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Internet Protector is a recent example of one of the many offshoots from the FakeRean category of rogue anti-malware programs, and may also be found in variants that change its name to match your operating system – for example, as Win 7 Internet Protector, Vista Internet Protector or XP Internet Protector. Despite Internet Protector's appearance as an effective and full-featured anti-malware program, Internet Protector isn't able to detect or delete any type of PC threat, and SpywareRemove.com malware researchers warn against taking any of Internet Protector's fake warnings or scanner results seriously. Internet Protector may also disable some Windows security features, negatively alter the Windows Registry or hijack your web browser, and, due to these side effects, should be considered a threat to safe computer usage. However, competent anti-malware products are capable of detecting and removing Internet Protector, since Internet Protector is based on previously identified PC threats and shows few differences from them.

Internet Protector – a Humble Imposter of Windows Security

Internet Protector makes every attempt to appear to be normal software, and may even include a visible installation routine as well as a link to a removal utility. However, unlike legitimate anti-malware scanners, Internet Protector uses its pretense of security to hand out fraudulent alerts about PC threats (such as keyloggers and banking Trojans) that don't exist on your computer. Along with these alerts, Internet Protector will also launch scans that automatically display results that are full of an unrealistically high amount of infections and will avoid any efforts on your part to disable Internet Protector, delete Internet Protector or simply turn Internet Protector off. SpywareRemove.com malware researchers also advise against trying to remove Internet Protector with any included uninstall link or tool; in most cases, complete removal of Internet Protector and its changes to your PC should be accomplished by a dedicated anti-malware scanner.

Internet Protector and similar rogue anti-malware applications are also noted for their ability to swap out the Windows Security Center with a fake equivalent. Internet Protector's own version of the Security Center will look almost identical to the real one, but doesn't have any functions except to link you to Internet Protector's website – wherein, of course, you'll be persuaded to waste your money on more Internet Protector software. Buying Internet Protector should never be considered, even as a last resort to grease the chute of Internet Protector's removal, since any financial information that you give to Internet Protector's criminal partners may be exploited for other types of fraudulent charges in the future.

Identifying the False Guardianship of Internet Protector to Do Away with It

Warning messages from Internet Protector may take many formats, most of which are designed to mimic legitimate security alerts in some way or other. However, SpywareRemove.com malware experts note that their contents are typically overblown and will never be backed up by corresponding results from legitimate security programs.
Some of these alerts may also be included in browser redirect attacks. Internet Protector may either redirect you to its own website or block computer security sites that could provide software or advice for Internet Protector's own removal. All of these errors, regardless of where they appear, should be considered as fake as the rest of Internet Protector's security functions, and will cease to appear once you remove Internet Protector with a suitable anti-malware product.

Close relatives of Internet Protector that may also be installed by related PC threats include Antivirus 2008 Pro, Antivirus XP 2008, Windows Antivirus 2008, Vista Antivirus 2008, PC Clean Pro, Antivirus Pro 2009, Rogue.Vista Antivirus 2008, AntiSpy Safeguard, ThinkPoint, Spyware Protection 2010, Internet Antivirus 2011, Palladium Pro, XP Anti-Virus 2011, CleanThis, XP Security 2012, XP Home Security 2012 and AntiVirus PRO 2015. Various other brands mostly (if not entirely) bear the names of the operating systems that they intend to infiltrate.

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:

%AppData%\Internet Protector\internet protector.exe

File name: %AppData%\Internet Protector\internet protector.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

%AppData%\Internet Protector\icohelp.ico

File name: %AppData%\Internet Protector\icohelp.ico
Mime Type: unknown/ico
Group: Malware file

%AppData%\Internet Protector\icoactivate.ico

File name: %AppData%\Internet Protector\icoactivate.ico
Mime Type: unknown/ico
Group: Malware file

%AppData%\Internet Protector\icouninstall.ico

File name: %AppData%\Internet Protector\icouninstall.ico
Mime Type: unknown/ico
Group: Malware file

%AppData%\Internet Protector\securityhelper.exe

File name: %AppData%\Internet Protector\securityhelper.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

%AppData%\Internet Protector\securitymanager.exe

File name: %AppData%\Internet Protector\securitymanager.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Internet Protector.lnk

File name: %AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Internet Protector.lnk
File type: Shortcut
Mime Type: unknown/lnk
Group: Malware file

%Programs%\Internet Protector.lnk

File name: %Programs%\Internet Protector.lnk
File type: Shortcut
Mime Type: unknown/lnk
Group: Malware file

%Programs%\Internet Protector\Internet Protector.lnk

File name: %Programs%\Internet Protector\Internet Protector.lnk
File type: Shortcut
Mime Type: unknown/lnk
Group: Malware file

%Programs%\Internet Protector\help Antivirus Protection.lnk

File name: %Programs%\Internet Protector\help Antivirus Protection.lnk
File type: Shortcut
Mime Type: unknown/lnk
Group: Malware file

%Programs%\Internet Protector\how to activate Internet Protector.lnk

File name: %Programs%\Internet Protector\how to activate Internet Protector.lnk
File type: Shortcut
Mime Type: unknown/lnk
Group: Malware file

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\..{RunKeys}HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce "[RANDOM DIGITS]".exe

Additional Information

The following URL's were detected:

mylocaldates1.com