Are you getting alerts from Anti-Malware Lab? Don't be tricked, Anti-Malware Lab is a not a real security application. It is a kind of program known as a rogue anti-malware application. These kinds of programs pretend to be genuine anti-malware utilities to trick you into buying them. Specifically, Anti-Malware Lab's interface is designed to mimic the interface for a typical Windows Security scanner. Anti-Malware Lab takes over your computer, to make you think it has a malware infection. Then, it will prompt you to buy Anti-Malware Lab to get rid of the supposed infection. Don't fall for it; Anti-Malware Lab is nothing but a scam. How Anti-Malware Lab Enters Your Computer Surprisingly, it is often the victims themselves that download...

Zeus Keylogger is a malware program that is designed to steal a computer user's private information. A keylogger is a program that is used to record every key that is pressed on the infected computer's keyboard. Zeus Keylogger also has the capacity to take the recorded data and relay it to a third party. A hacker can take all of this information and isolate online passwords, credit card information, and online banking data. To protect your privacy, out team of PC security researchers recommends using an anti-malware program to identify and remove Zeus Keylogger. How Zeus Keylogger Steals Your Personal Information Zeus Keylogger is specifically engineered to target financial information. This nasty spy program contains an extensive list...

WebDiscover Browser is an adware threat developed by a Canada-based company named WebDiscover Media. Once installed on a PC, the app makes a series of unwanted changes to all browsers installed on the computer, leading to a deteriorating online surfing experience. WebDiscover replaces the default home pages and search engines of affected Internet browsers with its own WebDiscover Homepage and WebDiscover Search, respectively. Furthermore, the app modifies the “new tab” settings so that the corrupted browsers launch the program's own search portal page when the user opens a new tab. Chrome users may not even recognize WebDiscover as an unwanted program and think they are using the regular...

Getting an OS system error message while working on a project can be quite an unpleasant surprise. Whether relating to MS Windows, or Mac OS, such a bug is always bound to disrupt your normal computer work. While some errors tend to be system-specific, others can affect both Windows and Mac-based systems, albeit designating totally different problems. The so-called Code 43 error message, for example, is primarily associated with device driver problems in Windows PCs, on the one hand, and file transfer issues on Mac machines, on the other. If you are using Windows and looking for a way to fix this specific error, click here for a guide with possible solutions. If you are a Mac user,...

KMSpico is a software made to illegally activate Windows 10 and other Windows operating systems for free. This software is unsafe and has no connection to the Microsoft Corporation. Instances of KMSpico may open the way to further malware infections, installation of Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) and more. There are many websites online that offer versions of KMSpico. Nearly all of them bundled with adware, malware and more. This may quickly put a computer at risk without the consent of the user. What does KMS stand for? KMS stands for Key Management Service, a technology used by Microsoft to activate services on a local network. This is done to remove the need for connecting each...

At first glance, the Newsbreak.com website appears to be a useful tool that would provide its visitors with the latest news. However, this is one of the countless bogus websites online that do not provide any content of value, and instead, seek to benefit from their visitors using various shady tricks. Spams Users with a Constant Flow of Advertisements Upon visiting the Newsbreak.com page, users will be asked to permit the site to display Web browser notifications. Keeping in mind that this fake page poses as a legitimate news website, many users may be tricked to allow browser notifications thinking that they will be alerted for the latest breaking news. However, this is not the case,...

The Segurazo application, a/k/a SAntivirus, presents itself as a helpful, genuine antivirus tool capable of bringing considerable benefits to those who give it a chance. However, in reality, Segurazo is far from helpful and is certainly not as trustworthy a tool as one would expect from an antivirus application. Instead of effective threat detection and real-time protection, SAntivirus will bombard you with dozens of falsely exaggerated security reports in a relentless effort to urge you to buy the premium version of this dodgy tool. Segurazo As a Drive-By Download In general, malware actors tend to distribute Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) by smuggling them into software bundles...

DarkSide Ransomware is a type of malware that is created for the purpose of extorting money from computer users through holding their PC for hostage. The task of DarkSide Ransomware accomplishing its money extortion scheme starts with it encrypting files, which takes place after loading on a system often due to the user opening a malicious spam email attachment. The DarkSide Ransomware is known to encrypt many files and append them with similar file extensions. While each file encrypted by DarkSide Ransomware can be easily identified and found, they cannot be accessed or opened due to undefeatable encryption. Due to such, a computer user wanting to get their system back to normal...

The Random Music Playing Virus is a common name given to a variety of PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program) and threats that cause annoying sounds and music to play on the affected computer. The Random Music Playing Virus will often activate because an advertisement is handling the background. It should be noted that, technically, the Random Music Playing Virus is not unsafe code. The Random Music Playing Virus may not actually be inserted into a file but is, rather, a symptom of a variety of other types of problems on affected computer systems. PC security researchers typically do not consider that the Random Music Playing Virus is a real virus, in the technical definition of the term....

The Pegasus Malware is a modular threat that was developed by an Israeli business called NSO Group, known for its creating threats and putting it for sale on the Dark Web. The Pegasus Malware attack used three unpatched vulnerabilities on iOS to enter a device and install a monitoring application. The Pegasus Malware also attacks Android devices. By using the Pegasus Malware, the attackers can register the pressed keys, listen to calls, read the users' emails and messages, take screenshots, collect the users' contact list and browser habits and much more. The Pegasus Malware is so powerful that it can even collect the users' messages even before their encryption or read them after their encryption since it has a keylogger feature. A...

Virtual Machines are priceless for those who know their uses, as the repetitive theme of VM-detection features in backdoors and file-locking Trojans assert readily. Even so, not everyone wants or needs a VM and may change their mind about the presence of tools like Oracle's VirtualBox program. A thorough, manual uninstall of VirtualBox isn't always as easy as with less-technically-oriented applications, but most users should handle it with very little work. Depending on the operating system, users require different steps for removing VirtualBox completely. However, most installers for VirtualBox also include a 'remove installation' option. Run the installer and choose to remove it. The installer version should match that of the...

Captchadecode.com is a mostly empty website. That is not surprising when you consider that its sole reason for existing is to conduct a popular browser-based tactic and deliver dubious advertising materials to the affected systems and their visitors. First, the site determines whether to show questionable content on its own page or trigger redirects to other similarly untrustworthy third-party sites. The basis of this decision is depended on the visitor's geolocation. Captchadecode.com obtains this information by analyzing the device's IP address. While it is doing all this, Captchadecode.com also could try to trick the user into subscribing to its push notification services. By showing misleading messages, the site attempts to lure any...

It seems that the void left after two of the biggest ransomware operations decided to shut down their activities suddenly, is now starting to be filled by new players in fields. REvil and Darkside ceased operations after the groups performed massive ransomware attacks that, apparently, attracted too much-unwanted attention. REvil compromised the networks of the global meat producer JBS and managed network services provider Kaseya, while Darkside disrupted the operations of the oil pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline.  Now, a new ransomware outfit named BlackMatter is claiming to have incorporated the capabilities of both REvil and Darkside. The analysts at Recorded Future discovered the group advertising itself on underground hacker...

The Great Discover is far worse than the typical adware. It too delivers unwanted advertisements to the affected systems that could greatly diminish the user's browsing experience. However, on top of that annoying functionality, it also possesses the capabilities of a crypto-mining threat. The Great Discover will initiate its processes in the background and start to siphon off the system's hardware resources. It could impact the GPU, CPU and RAM. All hijacked resources will be used to generate coins for a specific cryptocurrency, depending on the preferences of its operators. The threat actor could set it to mine for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, Litecoin, etc.  On systems with a sufficiently powerful GPU and CPU and enough RAM, Great...

Chump is a dubious browser extension. It promotes itself as a convenient tool that will allow users to quickly set up keyboard shortcuts to open their favorite websites directly. Unfortutnealy, what Chump fails to mention is that its core functionality is to deliver unwanted and intrusive advertisements to the systems it is presented on. As such, the application is categorized both as adware and as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program). In addition, while it is installed on the device, Chump could spy on the user's browsing activities. Adware applications are a common source of nuisance. They hide their installation from the attention of the user and then proceed to generate questionable advertising materials on the affected device. The...

OnrymSpeedup is yet another rogue program that tries to trick people out of their hard-earned money. The application promotes itself as a useful tool that can deliver a noticeable bump in the performance of users' computers. It claims to both optimize the Windows OS to run faster and be more stable while also protecting it.  Unfortunately, almost none of this information turns out to be true. Once installed, OnrymSpeedup pretends to run a scan of the system. However, what it shows, are false positives and fake alerts or warnings. It may even flag benign files as being extremely threatening. In short, none of the information provided by OnrymSpeedup can be trusted. The application will then try to convince the user to buy its full or...

Many Windows users might be wondering what is this mysterious process named 'dllhost.exe' and its equally enigmatic description of 'COM Surrogate.' Should they be worried that the process is always running in the background? Is it a legitimate part of Windows or should action be taken to stop it? Fortunately, 'dllhost.exe' is perfectly legitimate. It is created by Microsoft and has been packaged with every Windows version. The process is responsible for several different tasks, some of which have critical importance for the system. It is a service required for the proper functioning of any COM+ oriented programming code. To see an in-depth picture of the processes related to 'dllhost.exe,' you can use Process Monitor. As for COM+, it...

In the past decade, anime has turned from a niche past in the west to a global industry with an audience of hundreds of millions. As a result, several streaming sites that have acquired the official rights to show certain anime titles s have been established. However, the different platforms offer different anime series and fans oftentimes find themselves forced to pay for multiple subscriptions to watch all the shows they are interested in. This has given rise to numerous illicit streaming sites. 4Anime is such a place exactly.  Setting aside the moral ambiguity of accessing licensed content via a site that streams it illicitly, 4Anime's visitors have more things to worry about. The site relies on a dubious advertising network as one of...

BasicBitParameter is a nasty browser extension that can attach itself to the Chrome browser even on Mac systems. The goal of the application is to then establish control over the browser and modify its settings to promote a dubious address. This behavior classifies BasicBitParamater as a browser hijacker. It is extremely unlikely that users installed this extension on their Macs willingly. After all, browser hijackers are known for spreading via deceptive tactics that hide their installation process from the attention of the user, justifying their classification as PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs).    Once inside the Mac, BasicBitParameter will lock certain Chrome settings. These could include the homepage, new page, and the default...

Instead of being a browser hijacker or adware application, OfferCore acts as the vehicle delivering such PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) to the users' Mac devices. It falls into the category of dubious applications known as bundlers. Their core task is to package an additional program, such as the aforementioned PUPs, alongside a legitimate and more popular software product. Afterward, when the users install the desired application, they also allow the intruder application also to be established on the Mac o inadvertently. Typically, the PUP can be found as a preselected choice tucked away under the 'Advanced' or 'Custom' settings of the installation menu. Bundlers employ various clickbait or misleading tactics to spread themselves....

The LockBit Ransomware emerged on the malware landscape back in September 2019, when it was offered in a RaaS (Ransomware-as-a-Service) scheme. The operators of the threat were looking for affiliates who would carry out the actual ransomware attacks and then split the profits - the affiliates would bag around 70-80% of the funds while the rest would be given to the LockBit creators.  The operation has remained quite active since its launch, with the representatives of the group behind the threat maintaining a presence on the hacker forums. When several prominent forums decided to distance themselves from ransomware schemes and banned the discussions of such topics, LockBit moved on to a newly created data leak site. There, the...

The Guer Ransomware has been determined to be a variant belonging to the infamous STOP/Djvu Ransomware family. As such, the threat doesn't display much in terms of meaningful improvements or modifications, compared to the rest of the variants from the STOP/Djvu Ransomware family but that in no way means that it should be underestimated. Systems infected by the Guer Ransomware will be subjected to an encryption routine involving an uncrackable cryptographic algorithm. In practice, this would lead to nearly all of the files stored on the compromised device being rendered both inaccessible and unusable. Users will be locked out of their own private or business-related documents, archives, databases, photos, images, videos, etc. As part of...

The Aeur Ransomware is yet another threat spawned from the infamous and rather prolific STOP/Djvu Ransomware family. Ransomware creators are still churning out new variants from the STOP/Djvu malware family and infosec researchers are detecting new threats almost daily. The Aeur Ransomware doesn't exhibit any major distinguishing characteristics, apart from the extension it uses to mark all encrypted files - '.aeur.' Still, the threat is capable of wreaking havoc on compromised systems and shouldn't be underestimated. The files it locks via an uncrackable encryption process will be held as hostages, while the victims will be extorted for money. Detailed instructions will be provided inside a text file named '_readme.' Aeur Ransomware's...

The Core Share Mac is an adware application advertising itself as a useful Mac tool. However, its core functionality involves delivering intrusive advertisements on the systems it is present on and generating monetary gains for its creators in the process. Usually, users do not even realize that a suspicious application, such as Core Share Mac, is being installed on their devices. This fact is not that surprising since all these dubious applications do not wait for users to find, download, and install them willingly. Instead, they spread themselves via deceptive tactics designed to hide their installation from the attention of the user. Such methods are bundling or hiding inside a fake installer/updater of a more popular software...

Helper_update is a deceptive application that masks its true purpose - the delivery of intrusive advertisements on the Mac systems it is present on. Adware and other similar applications do not wait for users to install them willingly. In the vast majority of cases, they enter the Macs unnoticed via underhanded delivery tactics, such as bundling or hiding inside fake installers/updaters for more popular programs. Helper_update in particular has been observed to spread by pretending to be an installer for the Adobe Flash Player. As a result, the application also is classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program). The application establishes itself as a login item on the system, ensuring that it will be started on every system boot....

Ourhotstories.com may sound like a site offering some steamy content. However, that is just a ruse. The real goal of this page is to trick users into subscribing to its push notification services. This particular tactic has been extremely popular among unscrupulous people and countless sites virtually indistinguishable from Ourhotstories.com have already been placed on the Internet. Users who fall for the misleading messages find themselves on the receiving end of an intrusive advertising campaign while the sites generate monetary gains for their creators. Ourhotstories.com, in particular, relies on the curiosity of its visitors. It displays a supposed video that is being unable to play currently. To access the usually non-existent...