GuardPcs is another fake security program that is advertised on various websites and disguise as an online virus scanner. GuardPcs virus will also pretend as video codec or Macromedia Flash components that are needed to be able to view online video. When installed on the computer, GuardPcs immediately alter the system configuration that allows the fake program to run and perform fake virus scan. The results will display dozens of detected threats that are just fake and fabricated to delude user and force them to obtain the registered version of the program. An excessive pop-up alerts and security messages will be displayed on computer for the same purpose.
What are the Symptoms of GuardPcs Infection?
The fake virus scan of GuardPcs will show results about potential security risks that does not really present on computer.
GuardPcs will modify Windows Registry and add the following entries:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run “GuardPcs.exe”
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run “<random>.exe”
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\GuardPcs
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\GuardPcs
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Uninstall\GuardPcs
GuardPcs will drop the following malicious files:
- c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\GuardPcs.lnk
- c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\GuardPcs
- c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\GuardPcs\1 GuardPcs.lnk
- c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\GuardPcs\2 Homepage.lnk
- c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\GuardPcs\3 Uninstall.lnk
- c:\Program Files\GuardPcs Software
- c:\Program Files\GuardPcs Software\GuardPcs
- c:\Program Files\GuardPcs Software\GuardPcs\GuardPcs.exe
- c:\Program Files\GuardPcs Software\GuardPcs\uninstall.exe
- C:\Windows\System32\<random>.exe
- %Temp%\<random>.exe
How to Remove GuardPcs Manually
1. Restart your computer in SafeMode
– After Power-On the computer, just before Windows start, press F8
– From the selections, Select SafeMode
2. Remove Registry entries that the threat added. You MUST BACKUP YOUR REGISTRY FIRST.
– Click Start > Run
– Type in the field, regedit
– Navigate and look for the registry entries mentioned above and delete if necessary
3. Delete malicious files that the threat added:
– Base on the given location above, browse and delete the file
– If no location is given, click Start>Search> and search for the files.
– If cannot be deleted, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to access Task Manager, see if the file is running in the process. If it is, select the file and click End Process. Perform file delete again.
4. Scan computer with Antivirus Program
– Update antivirus program
– Scan computer and delete all detected threats.
How to Easily Remove GuardPcs
1. Download and run Removal Tool to remove GuardPcs
