GuardBytes Plus

Threat Scorecard

Threat Level: 100 % (High)
Infected Computers: 4
First Seen: December 10, 2014
OS(es) Affected: Windows

GuardBytes Plus is a rogue security application. GuardBytes Plus will try to convince computer users that there are threats on their computers in order to convince them to pay $99.95 USD for a useless 'full version' of GuardBytes Plus. Malware analysts have identified GuardBytes Plus as one of the many variants in the FakeRean and Braviax family of threats. There are hundreds of variants of these fake security programs, all following the same following strategy to lure inexperienced computers. GuardBytes Plus may not only try to take money from computer users while disrupting their machines, GuardBytes Plus also may try to gain access to their credit card information by keeping track of their payment for its fake 'full version.'

The Tactic Used by GuardBytes Plus is Very Common

Rogue security programs like GuardBytes Plus are among the most common types of online misleading tactics. Some examples of these programs from the FakeRean family and clones of GuardBytes Plus include Antivirus 2008, Windows Antivirus 2008, Vista Antivirus 2008, Antivirus Pro 2009, AntiSpy Safeguard, ThinkPoint, Spyware Protection 2010, Internet Antivirus 2011, Palladium Pro, XP Anti-Virus 2011, CleanThis, PC Clean Pro, XP Home Security 2012, Windows Clear Problems, XP Security 2012, Antivirus PRO 2015.

Malware analysts advise computer users to learn how to recognize these types of fake security programs, which may be obviously worse than real security software. Rogue security programs like GuardBytes Plus fail to remove any supposed threats, detect dozens, if not hundreds of threats problems on the victim's computer, and may be the cause of other symptoms, such as performance issues and numerous irritating pop-up messages. GuardBytes Plus is not capable of detecting or removing threats, mainly because GuardBytes Plus is a threat in itself. Because of this, instead of trying to pay for GuardBytes Plus or following this rogue security program's instructions, GuardBytes Plus should be removed immediately with the help of a reliable anti-malware application that is fully updated.

How GuardBytes Plus may Try to Take Your Money

Rogue security applications like GuardBytes Plus have been around for at least a decade and, since then, they follow the same basic pattern to deceive inexperienced computer users and get their money. The following are some of the steps GuardBytes Plus takes to attack computer users:

  1. GuardBytes Plus may be distributed using typical threat delivery methods. There are many different ways in which GuardBytes Plus may enter a computer. For example, GuardBytes Plus could be delivered in a spam email attachment, through a compromised advertisement promoting a free online scan, through an exploit kit or another threat infection.
  2. As part of its installation process, GuardBytes Plus makes harmful changes to the affected computer's settings. These changes allow GuardBytes Plus to cause various problems on the infected PC, such as preventing other software from running or displaying plenty of irritating error messages.
  3. Once GuardBytes Plus has been installed and set up, GuardBytes Plus will try to trick inexperienced computer users into believing that their machines are severely infected with threats. To do this, GuardBytes Plus will follow several tactics. GuardBytes Plus may spam the computer user with large amounts of notifications and error messages, run fake virus scans and make it appear as if GuardBytes Plus has found hundreds of threat problems. GuardBytes Plus may also cause performance issues on the affected computer, such as causing it to crash or slowing it down. A typical problem related to GuardBytes Plus is interference with other software. When computer users try to run an application such as WordPad or Internet Explorer, GuardBytes Plus may display a fake error message claiming that GuardBytes Plus has stopped the program from running because it represents a 'security risk.'
  4. Trying to use GuardBytes Plus to fix these supposed threat issues is useless. When computer users try to fix any of the threats that GuardBytes Plus supposedly found, GuardBytes Plus displays error messages claiming that the 'free version' of GuardBytes Plus cannot remove these problems and that it is necessary to pay for the 'full version.' Unfortunately, this supposed 'full version' is useless and paying for it involves giving GuardBytes Plus' creators access to your credit card information.

SpyHunter Detects & Remove GuardBytes Plus

File System Details

GuardBytes Plus may create the following file(s):
# File Name MD5 Detections
1. dtnlfnti.exe dca219ee65cbe005a91ecd4ff96dddf5 4

Messages

The following messages associated with GuardBytes Plus were found:

GuardBytes Plus has blocked a program from accessing the internet - This program is infected with Trojan-BNK.Win32.Keylogger.gen Private data can be stolen by third parties, including credit card details and passwords

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