Defense Center: what it is and how to remove it
Defense Center is a rogue anti-spyware program from the same family as Protection Center malware. It reports false system security threats and displays fake security warnings to scare you into thinking that your computer is infected with spyware, adware and other viruses.
Facts checked October 7, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Defense Center: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Defense Center |
| Type | Rogue antivirus |
| Symptoms | An unknown process in Task Manager |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 4 more facts
| Files and processes | TrojanASPX.JS |
|---|---|
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
| First seen | 26 April 2021 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
What Defense Center is
Defense Center is a rogue anti-spyware program from the same family as Protection Center malware.
It reports false system security threats and displays fake security warnings to scare you into thinking that your computer is infected with spyware, adware and other viruses. DefenseCenter is a typical scareware, that's why it will ask you to pay for a full version of the program to remove the infections which don't even exist.
Defense Center is promoted through the use of Trojans and other malicious software. Usually, it comes from fake online scanners and misleading video websites. The rogue program has to be manually installed, so to make its way to the system it pretends to be a video codec or flash player update. Basically, the scammers do all their best to trick you into installing their bogus software.
Once installed and running, Defense Center will simulate a system scan and display a list of infections that can be only removed with a full version of the program. Then it will constantly display fake security alerts and pop-ups claiming that your computer is infected with spyware that may stole your passwords and credit card information.
What is more, the rogue program will disable Task Manager, Registry Editor and other system tools. It will also block legitimate anti-spyware programs, that's why you may have to reboot your computer in safe mode and run an automatic removal tool from there or remove Defense Center files manually. Some of the fake Defense Center alerts read:
Don't purchase it! If you have already purchased this rogue program then contact your credit card company and dispute the charges. Special Defense Center removal steps 1. Restart your computer.
As your computer restarts but before Windows launches, tap "F8" key constantly. Use the arrow keys to highlight the "Safe Mode with Networking" option as shown in the image below, and then press ENTER.
2. Download an automatic removal tool from this page and run a full system scan.
Is Defense Center a real security program?
Names and addresses to look for
- File:
TrojanASPX.JS
How to remove Defense Center
Nothing it reports is real.
These steps remove it and undo a payment if you made one.
Step 1: Do not pay, and undo a payment if you made one
Defense Center reports problems to sell a licence: the "threats" or "errors" it lists are invented or harmless leftovers. If you already paid, ask your card issuer to dispute the charge and cancel the subscription both in the seller's account and through your bank.
If you called a phone number it showed and let someone connect, treat the PC as remotely accessed and remove the remote tool. Uninstalling it from Windows 11 or Windows 10 does not cancel a subscription by itself.
Full procedure with screenshots: What to do after paying a scammer
Step 2: Uninstall programs you did not mean to install
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10, and sort the list by install date. Look at what appeared around the day the problem started and uninstall every program you do not recognise or did not choose.
Free converters, PDF and video tools, "system optimizers" and unknown browsers are the usual carriers of Defense Center. If a name is unclear, search for it before you remove it, so you do not uninstall a driver or a Windows component.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 3: Remove it from startup
Whatever Defense Center installed usually starts with Windows. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Startup apps in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10, and disable what you do not know, starting with entries that have an empty Publisher column.
Open file location on the right-click menu shows the file, which helps you decide and tells you what to delete later. Disabling is safe: if something you need stops working, switch it back on.
Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 4: Delete the folders left behind
What the uninstaller leaves behind is usually in the user folders. Open File Explorer, switch on View > Show > Hidden items (in Windows 10 View > Hidden items), and go through
%LocalAppData%,%AppData%, %ProgramData% and the two Program Files folders.Sort by Date modified and delete folders that appeared together with the problem and belong to no program you use. Folders with random names that hold
.exe,.dll, .js or .ps1 files are the strongest sign.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Do not let government spy on you
The government has many issues in regards to tracking users' data and spying on citizens, so you should take this into consideration and learn more about shady information gathering practices.
Avoid any unwanted government tracking or spying by going totally anonymous on the internet.
You can choose a different location when you go online and access any material you want without particular content restrictions. You can easily enjoy internet connection without any risks of being hacked by using VPN.
Control the information that can be accessed by government any other unwanted party and surf online without being spied on. Even if you are not involved in illegal activities or trust your selection of services, platforms, be suspicious for your own security and take precautionary measures by using the VPN service.
Backup files for the later use, in case of the malware attack
Computer users can suffer from data losses due to cyber infections or their own faulty doings.
Ransomware can encrypt and hold files hostage, while unforeseen power cuts might cause a loss of important documents. If you have proper up-to-date backups, you can easily recover after such an incident and get back to work. It is also equally important to update backups on a regular basis so that the newest information remains intact - you can set this process to be performed automatically.
When you have the previous version of every important document or project you can avoid frustration and breakdowns. It comes in handy when malware strikes out of nowhere. Use for the data restoration process.
Questions about Defense Center
What is TrojanASPX.JS and why is it running?
Every process is started by something:
- a program you installed
- a Windows service
- a scheduled task
- a startup entry
To learn why TrojanASPX.JS runs, find its file with Open file location in Task Manager, then look for an entry pointing to that file in Settings > Apps > Startup and in Task Scheduler.
Sort Installed apps by date to see what arrived when the process first appeared. Once you know the owner, you can decide whether to keep it, switch it off at startup or uninstall it completely.
Can I end TrojanASPX.JS in Task Manager?
Ending an unknown process is safe in the sense that Windows will warn you before you close anything critical, and a restart brings back whatever Windows needs. Ending TrojanASPX.JS will not remove it, though: if a task or startup entry launches it, it returns at the next sign-in.
Use ending the process as a test. If something important stops working, it belonged to a program you use. If nothing changes and it comes back by itself, find and disable its starter, delete the file and scan the PC.
Do I need to buy antivirus after removing Defense Center?
No. Windows 11 and Windows 10 include Microsoft Defender in Windows Security, which provides real-time protection, scheduled scans, the offline scan and protection against unwanted apps at no cost. Keep it switched on and updated, and turn on Reputation-based protection under App & browser control.
If you prefer a third-party product, buy it from the vendor's own site after reading independent test results, never from a pop-up or a phone call. The lesson of Defense Center is that security offers which arrive unasked are the ones to avoid.
I let a technician connect to my PC because of Defense Center. Is it safe now?
Not until you check. While connected, the caller could install other programs, create a user account or look at saved passwords. Disconnect from the internet, uninstall the remote access program and anything else installed during the call, and run a full scan and the Microsoft Defender offline scan.
From another device, change your e-mail and banking passwords and turn on two-step verification. If the caller opened your online banking, call the bank today. A reset of Windows is the safest option if you cannot tell what was done.
I called the number from Defense Center. What now?
End the call and do not let them reconnect. If they installed a remote-access tool, disconnect the PC from the internet and uninstall that tool from Installed apps. Change passwords for e-mail, banking and anything you typed during the call, using another device.
If you paid, contact the bank today for a chargeback. Report the number to the authorities in your country. The program behind an unfamiliar process called TrojanASPX.JS in Task Manager still needs removing: follow the plan in this guide, then run a full scan in Windows Security.
Should I reset my PC because of Defense Center?
Only if the signs point to deeper access. Reset when you see an unfamiliar process called TrojanASPX.JS in Task Manager again after removal, when Windows Security cannot start or update, when remote access tools you did not install keep appearing, or when you simply cannot trust the PC any more.
Otherwise, the plan in this guide plus an offline scan is enough. If you do reset, choose Remove everything and Cloud download for a fresh copy of Windows, restore only documents and photos, and reinstall programs from their official sites. Change important passwords from the clean system afterwards.
Why does Defense Center look so official?
Because copying the design costs nothing and makes people trust it. The program behind an unfamiliar process called TrojanASPX.JS in Task Manager borrows Windows colours, icons and wording, sometimes even the name of a well-known security brand. None of that gives it access to real security information.
A real alert can be checked in seconds: open Windows Security from the Start menu and look at Protection history. If nothing is listed there, the official-looking window is fake, and the program that draws it is what needs to be removed.
What should I do if I already clicked or replied to Defense Center?
Stop all contact, do not click anything else and secure your accounts right away. If you typed a password, change it at once from a clean device, then turn on two-factor authentication.
If you gave card or bank details, call the bank on the number printed on your card and ask to block or replace it. If you installed something or allowed remote access, disconnect from the internet and follow the removal plan. Keep screenshots and the message, because they help when you report it.
Will Fortect remove Defense Center?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Defense Center, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)