Microsoft Warns about Malware dressed up as Security Essentials

Security is the growing and huge concern in the increasingly connected world where we live. The computers are plagued by malware for years, in spite of having several tools available which work to thwart it.

Microsoft has posted a blog on its TechNet blog that warns about one specific malware piece, which emulates Microsoft Security Essentials. It is known as Hicurdismos and acts as a Security Essentials installer, but in reality, it is only a malware. It will display a fake Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error message after installation. Winbeta.com posted on October 22nd, 2016, stating that this message aims to replicate BSOD, which all of us knows very well.

Microsoft said that the malware, called as Hicurdismos by them, appears as drive-by download having file name setup.exe by using an icon which looks same as the MSE security program of the company. Moreover, it can be bundled along with the other software downloaded by users.

If users run the file, Hicurdismos produces a fake "blue screen of death" computer crash.

For this specific malware piece, technical support information is showed by BSOD displayed, and asks the users affected to call on it. Calling on this number is scam because after calling, they will inquire about the payment details for resolving the problem - problem which does not exist actually - and then the malware will still remain on the user's computers.

Defence mechanism of SmartScreen Filter in browsers of Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge flagged the malware, and warns users about running this program as it could harm the computers.

Once this malware infected a PC, by using Windows Defender Offline you can remove the malware. The malware can be removed without connecting with the internet or having full access to PC because the operating system is not required to start for using it.

Finally, Microsoft recommends users to report to them about the incident. Microsoft consistently collects data about reported incidents of scam involving Windows and probes accordingly, while liaising with the relevant authorities simultaneously. The company can be reported about this by filling the form of Report a Scam.

Microsoft advised Australian victims of Hicurdismos to report about the malware to the ScamWatch of the government.

» SPAMfighter News - 10/27/2016