Eco AntiVirus 2010: what it is and how to remove it
Eco AntiVirus is a misleading anti-spyware application that replaces Green AV malware. The misleading application reports false system security threats or infections, displays fake security alerts, hijacks Internet Explorer and uses other methods to make you think your computer is infected with Trojans, adware, spyware and other malicious software.
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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Start the stepsEco AntiVirus 2010: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Eco AntiVirus 2010 |
| Type | Rogue antivirus |
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| 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
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
|---|---|
| Program | Eco AntiVirus 2010 |
| First seen | 26 April 2021 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
What Eco AntiVirus 2010 is
Eco AntiVirus is a misleading anti-spyware application that replaces Green AV malware.
The misleading application reports false system security threats or infections, displays fake security alerts, hijacks Internet Explorer and uses other methods to make you think your computer is infected with Trojans, adware, spyware and other malicious software.
The main goal of Eco AntiVirus is to trick you into purchasing the program, that's why it will prompt you to pay for a full version of the program to remove the threats which do not even exist. Of course, you shouldn't purchase it. This is nothing more but a scam. Instead, uninstall Eco AntiVirus from your computer as soon as possible if it already infected.
EcoAntiVirus2010 is pushed through the use of Trojans that come from fake online scanners and various misleading websites. Usually, a pop-up window shows up and states that your computer has security problems. If you decide to fix supposed problems, you will be redirected to another page that imitates system scan. Finally, you will be prompted to download and install Eco AntiVirus to remove infections and protect your PC.
The home page of this malware is eco-av.com . Of course, this website is full of fake reviews and false information. The scammers claim that it's the first anti-virus which cares about the environment and if you decide to buy EcoAntiVirus2010 you will contribute $2 dollars on saving green forests in Amazonia.
Once installed, Eco AntiVirus 2010 will perform several fake scans and report a list of infections that can only be removed with a full version of the program. The rogue application will also display fake security alerts and pop-ups from Windows Taskbar. The fake warnings state:
Eco AntiVirus will also impersonate Windows Security Center and state that your copy of ECO AV is not registered, thus your computer is not protected .
What is more, Eco AntiVirus will hijack Internet Explorer and display various misleading notifications about phishing websites and other security threats. Likely, you will also see security warnings when browsing the web such as shown in the image below .
As you can see, Eco AntiVirus is a scam and should be removed from the system upon detection. Most importantly, do not purchase. If you have already done that, please contact your credit card company and dispute the charges.
Then, use the removal guide below to remove Eco AntiVirus 2010 from your PC manually for free. Last, but not least, you should scan the system with an anti-spyware application to remove the remains or additionally installed malware.
How to remove Eco AntiVirus 2010
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
Nothing that Eco AntiVirus 2010 says it found needs fixing by Eco AntiVirus 2010. Close its windows and do not enter card details.
If you bought it, contact your bank or card issuer about a dispute and cancel any renewal, keeping the receipt e-mail as evidence. Uninstalling it from Windows 11 or Windows 10 removes the program but leaves the subscription running.
Full procedure with screenshots: What to do after paying a scammer
Step 2: Uninstall Eco AntiVirus 2010
Eco AntiVirus 2010 is removed like any other program, from the list of installed apps. In Windows 11 that is Settings > Apps > Installed apps, in Windows 10 Settings > Apps > Apps & features, and in both you can also use Control Panel > Programs and Features.
Select Eco AntiVirus 2010, click Uninstall and follow the uninstaller to the end. Then look at the entries just above and below it when the list is sorted by date: bundled programs install at the same minute.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 3: Remove it from startup
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and select Startup apps (Windows 11) or the Startup tab (Windows 10). Disable entries you do not recognise, especially ones with no publisher or with a name that copies a Windows component.
Right-click an entry and choose Open file location to see where it runs from: programs in
%AppData%or%Temp%deserve a closer look. Some entries are not listed there but in the registry Run keys, which the procedure below shows how to check.Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 4: Delete the folders left behind
Uninstalling often leaves the program's folders, and some threats reinstall themselves from them.
Press Windows + R, type
%LocalAppData%and press Enter, then do the same for%AppData%and %ProgramData%, and look for folders named after Eco AntiVirus 2010, its publisher or created on the day the problem started.Delete those folders, and check
C:\Program FilesandC:\Program Files (x86)too.If Windows says a file is in use, end it in Task Manager or delete the folder after a restart in Safe Mode. The folders are the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of Eco AntiVirus 2010 that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.
Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.
It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files.
More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
Questions about Eco AntiVirus 2010
Can I safely uninstall Eco AntiVirus 2010?
If you did not install Eco AntiVirus 2010 yourself and it is not part of your hardware or a program you rely on, yes. Uninstalling an unwanted program does not harm Windows.
Before you do, search the exact name and publisher to be sure it is not a driver tool, a printer utility or a game launcher with an odd name. Then remove it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps.
Ignore any offers or warnings in its uninstaller about losing protection or performance. Afterwards check Startup apps and your browsers for leftovers, and restart once to confirm that it does not reinstall itself.
Eco AntiVirus 2010 came back after I uninstalled it. Why?
Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.
Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If Eco AntiVirus 2010 still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.
Is my card safe after buying Eco AntiVirus 2010?
Treat it as exposed. The order page belongs to the seller of Eco AntiVirus 2010, and you cannot know how the number is stored or shared. Ask your bank for a replacement card, which is usually free, and dispute the original charge as a misrepresented product.
Until the new card arrives, check your account daily for small or foreign transactions. If the bank offers alerts for every card payment, turn them on. Keep the receipt and screenshots, because they support the dispute.
Do I need to reinstall Windows to get rid of Eco AntiVirus 2010?
Usually not. A thorough clean-up is enough when the offline scan finds nothing afterwards and you do not see eco AntiVirus 2010 in the list of installed apps again. A reset is the safer choice if an attacker had remote control, if security tools were switched off, or if detections come back after every clean-up.
Windows 11 can reset itself without a USB stick under Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC. Copy documents and photos out first and scan the copies. A reset does not change passwords or undo stolen data, so the account steps still apply.
Is Eco AntiVirus 2010 an antivirus?
No. It looks like one, with a shield, a scan and a list of threats, but Eco AntiVirus 2010 is a rogue antivirus: its scans are designed to find something every time, and every fix leads to a payment page.
A real antivirus detects the same threats consistently, removes them without asking for money first and does not block other security tools. Windows 11 and Windows 10 already include Microsoft Defender in Windows Security, which is enough for most home users. Remove Eco AntiVirus 2010 and keep Defender on.
I called the number from Eco AntiVirus 2010. 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 eco AntiVirus 2010 in the list of installed apps still needs removing: follow the plan in this guide, then run a full scan in Windows Security.
Is Windows Security enough to protect me from programs like Eco AntiVirus 2010?
For most home users, yes, especially with Potentially unwanted app blocking turned on in Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings. That setting blocks many scareware installers before they run.
No security tool stops every scam, though, because programs like Eco AntiVirus 2010 are usually installed by the user after a frightening message. The habit that helps most is simple: ignore any website or pop-up that claims to have scanned your PC, and never call a number shown in a warning.
Eco AntiVirus 2010 will not uninstall. What can I do?
Close it in Task Manager first, then uninstall it from Settings > Apps > Installed apps (in Windows 10, Apps & features). If it blocks this or restarts itself, start Windows in Safe Mode, where third-party programs do not start automatically, and uninstall from there.
Afterwards run a Microsoft Defender offline scan and delete any leftover folder named after Eco AntiVirus 2010 in C:\Program Files or %AppData%. If nothing works, Windows can be reset while keeping your personal files, which removes the program together with any settings it changed.
How do I know Eco AntiVirus 2010 is fake?
Three things give it away. It appears as eco AntiVirus 2010 in the list of installed apps, a window from a program rather than from Windows Security. It pushes you to act quickly by calling, paying or downloading.
And the threats it reports never show up when you run a scan in the real Windows Security app. Microsoft does not put phone numbers in warnings or charge for removing threats through pop-ups. Close the window, do not call, and follow the steps to find and uninstall the program behind it.
Will Fortect remove Eco AntiVirus 2010?
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 Eco AntiVirus 2010, 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)