Windows 7 - Free Microsoft Security Tool Kills Microsoft Security Essentials Alert

Microsoft is fighting Microsoft Security Essentials Alert on multiple fronts, and has even started distributing automatically to Windows users a free security tool designed to tackle the threat.

Since August 2010, the Redmond company has warned customers of the danger posed by Microsoft Security Essentials Alert, a rogue antivirus which masquerades itself as Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0.

Now, the software giant has released an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, a free security solution set up to kill a specific list of malware, including Win32/FakePAV, which is being spread as Microsoft Security Essentials Alert.

It is important to underline that Microsoft Security Essentials Alert has nothing to do with the genuine Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 from the Redmond company.

Microsoft Security Essentials Alert only copies MSE in order to appear as a legitimate security solution to end users. In fact, it’s anything but.

Microsoft Security Essentials Alert has stolen not only the MSE brand, but also elements of the graphical user interface in order to create a feeling of authenticity.

However, Microsoft Security Essentials Alert is nothing more than a rogue AV, a fake antivirus, also known as scareware because it scares victims into thinking their machines are infected to convince them to pay for a license to remove inexistent threats.

“When FakePAV sees an attempt to run certain programs, it displays a fake Security Essentials alert dialog,” revealed Hamish O'Dea, from the Microsoft Malware Protection Center.

Thanks for the heads up on that one. So these clowns stay up nights just to come up with ideas and virus' like this?