Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal virus Tech support scam virus (Survey Virus)

What is Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal virus Tech support scam virus?

Things you should know about the Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal Tech support scam

Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal Tech support scam virus is quite lengthy, though the most precise way to define this fraudulent program. Some users mistakenly call it a “Driver_irol_not_less_or_equal virus,” but we should point out the mistake in the spelling of a word “less” in the original title. The properly-spelled variant is actually a real Windows error which shows up when computer drivers get outdated or corrupted ^[1]. Otherwise, this error is known as Error code 0x000000D1. Nevertheless, Blue Screen of Death ^[2] screen with misspelled Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal error signals something quite different. It indicates that your computer is probably infected with malware which tries to trick you into thinking your computer is in a critical state and you must call a support technician in order to fix it. In reality, there is no actual emergency, and you are simply being targeted by the so-called Tech Support scammers. If this is actually the case, you are probably stuck at system boot-up with the following message:

A problem has been detected and windows has been shutdown to prevent damage to your computer. DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LES_OR_EQUAL
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further assistance.
for Contact us Toll Free +1-888-496-5150 If this is the first time you’ve seen this stop error screen, restart your computer, If this screen appears again,
follow these steps: Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed.
If this is a new installation, ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any windows updates you might need.
If problems continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software.
Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components,
restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced Startup Options,
and then select Safe Mode.
Technical information:
*** STOP: 0x00D1 (0x00C,0x002,0x00,0xF86B5A89)
*** gv3.sys – Address F86B5A89 base at F86B5000, DateStamp 3dd9919eb
Beginning dump of physical memory Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further assistance.
for Contact us Toll Free +1-888-828-6971

The error might seem completely legitimate, since it convincingly includes error solution steps, such as launching the PC in Safe Mode ^[3] and checking your hardware and software. In actuality, none of these actions will help you to remove the fake lock screen because the scammers have cleverly altered your Windows Registry to boot this window at startup. The lockscreen can only be eliminated by terminating the malicious process in your Task Manager or Command Prompt, and when you do, you should proceed to the Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal removal immediately. Automatic malware-detections tools such as FortectIntego can be especially helpful in this process.

While a lot of the time we talk about the peculiarities of social engineering tricks ^[4] used in these Tech Support Scams, rarely do we talk about the potential consequences of such attacks. Unfortunately, these can be very unpleasant. If the victims get convinced into calling the indicated number, the scammers at the end of the line will do their best to make as much use of it as possible. They may attempt to sell you technical support contracts, shady security software or try to gain remote access to the device and install backdoors to deploy various phishing and keylogging malware on the computer without user’s authorization ^[5]. Eventually, when the criminals obtain the necessary information, they may break into your bank account steal your money and completely mess up your computer to cover up their tracks. Thus, the sooner you remove Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal the better.

Where do Tech Support Scams come from?

If you are an active Internet surfer, you must have visited some questionable file-sharing websites at some point of your browsing career. It is not what security experts advise doing, but sometimes, such sites are cleverly obfuscated, so, many users end up on them completely unintendedly. On such domains, scammers usually promote their fraudulent applications, and adware creators collect advertising revenue. Here is where Tech Support Scams like Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal usually reside as well. You might unknowingly install it to your PC with fake software updates or after clicking an infected ad. It is typical to find such malware as spam email attachments, so you should be especially careful around your email as well. Remember, that neither the infected emails, nor the corrupted download links you find online will clearly state that you are downloading Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal virus on your computer, thus, you should stay vigilant.

How quick is Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal virus removal?

If you are a regular home user, do not bother eliminating Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal virus manually. Though our experts have provided a comprehensive guide how to do it below this article, you should better leave it for the more advanced users and choose automatic Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal removal option instead. Anti-malware utilities will come in handy if your computer is contaminated with more potentially unwanted programs since they are capable of scanning the system thoroughly. The virus detection tools will remove Driver_irql_not_les_or_equal, other malware and protect your device from malware attacks in the future.