Scareware is malicious software that when installed on the computer can provide false information to users, convincing them to buy programs
Computer security is one of the biggest problems for users who spend many hours online. Being able to defend yourself from all the traps set by hackers is not easy. Hackers are always developing new malware and viruses that can penetrate even the most protected computers.
But viruses are not the only danger online. In addition to malware, there are other types of software that can potentially infect millions of computers. We are talking about scareware, useless and malicious programs that are installed by the user almost unconsciously and that pave the way for hackers to run a scam. Hackers, in addition to studying new hacking techniques, have also started reading marketing books. And scareware is the proof of that. To convince users to install this kind of software they use the same techniques as advertisers.
They display messages on the computer such as “WARNING! Your computer has been infected. Download this program to eliminate the virus”. A person unfamiliar with the world of computer security can easily fall into the trap devised by hackers. And install scareware on your computer.
What is scareware
When you download software from the Internet, it is not always “good” software. And scareware is part of the “bad software” group. They are some programs that are not real viruses, but they are practically useless on the PC. If we install them, they won’t solve any of the problems they report. On the contrary. They amplify them.
Scareware convinces users to install them on the computer through fear. In fact, translating the word “scare” from English, it actually means fear. Hackers use marketing and social engineering techniques to convince users to install a scareware program on their PCs.
How scareware works
The technique used by scareware is always the same. The first step is to scare the user with an intimidating message: “WARNING! Your computer has been infected. If you do not want your information to be revealed, download this program to eliminate the virus.” Usually the message appears in the form of a pop-up while you are browsing the Internet. If you download and install the program on your PC, it will start a fake antivirus scan that will result in finding malware and spyware that are infesting your hard disk. To remove them, the scareware suggests the user to purchase the final version of the program. Logically, the antivirus scan is fake and there is no virus present on the PC. If you buy the program out of fear, not only will it turn out to be a useless piece of software but you will be sending your credit card details to a hacker.
Scareware is mostly encountered while surfing the Internet on your computer, but it is also common to encounter it on your smartphone. If you see an advertisement for an app that will optimize your device by deleting unnecessary photos and videos while you’re playing games, don’t listen to it, it’s scareware.
Sometimes scareware also hides viruses. When you go to install useless software, you will open the door to viruses, spyware and malware.
How to defend yourself against scareware
As we have seen, installing scareware requires the help of the user himself. When you get a message inviting you to install a program to eliminate viruses, close the window and continue surfing the Internet without any problem. Also, always install reliable antivirus, in most cases security programs sponsored by scareware are unknown.