How to remove Keep Your PC Updated With Norton! scam

“Keep Your PC Updated With Norton!” is a scam message that tries to trick you into purchasing software

“Keep Your PC Updated With Norton!” is a scam message one could encounter after being redirected from another website while browsing the web. The most likely culprits are usually high-risk places such as those that host pirated software, provide seemingly free services of copyrighted videos, and similar. Alternatively, adware could also be one of the main causes of encounters with phishing websites, as its main goal is to insert ads when users are browsing the web.

Once on the page, users are told that their systems are infected with viruses and that Norton security software must be purchased/subscription renewed in order to remove the said infections. In reality, the “Keep Your PC Updated With Norton!” message is a scam that has nothing to do with the legitimate security vendors and is created by malicious actors who seek to retain revenue from clicks, downloads, and installs.

There is also no guarantee that websites that promote the scan would not lead you to the fake version of Norton security software, which would end up in a real malware infection. Thus, you should not download and install anything offered by this fake alert and instead use reliable security tools for your protection.

How scammers mislead users

Advertising revenue is a huge business and, since the internet provides a lot of anonymity, there are plenty of parties that are willing to receive money by tricking and misleading users. In fact, the internet has become the largest platform for all sorts of fraudulent content, as scammers are creating more and more fake content online to scam users in one way or another.

Keep Your PC Updated With Norton! scam focuses on a very popular technique that shows fake virus scan results and claims that the system has been infected. It imitates the symbols, logos, and other elements used by the security vendor Norton in order to seem legitimate. Here's the whole scheme:

1. Right upon entry, users are shown a bar that is filling up quickly
2. During this time, alleged malware detection pop-ups are visible
3. A few moments later, people are told that their systems are infected with five viruses, which is followed by a message:

Keep Your PC Updated with Norton!

UPDATE:

Protection from potential malware is important.
Keep Your Norton Subscription Updated.
If your PC is not protected, it is at risk for viruses and other malware.

If the “Proceed” button is clicked at the bottom of the pop-up window, users are then redirected to a website where they are offered to download software. While the redirect might lead to the official Norton website, it is not a rule. In some cases, users might be linked to a spoofing website, where malware could be downloaded.

Websites that host the Keep Your PC Updated With Norton! scam

In order to succeed and profit from the scam scheme, crooks use a variety of fake websites that host fake alerts. Usually, these websites can be found after clicking a fake link on malicious websites – torrents, gambling, X-rated, YouTube converters, and similar content is usually not secure and lead to unwanted redirects.

What you should pay attention to is the URL itself – it often uses “defender,” “security,” “clean,” and similar words that are associated with malware removal, e.g., Clean-your-pc.xyz, Mydefensivesoft.com, or Totaldatasecuritycentr.com.

In other cases, the names of websites have nothing to do with anything and instead are gibberish, for example, Performdevelopedgreatlythefile.vip, or Bluecodemc1.club. Note that, regardless of the website name, the phishing^[1] message might also imitate another popular security solutions vendor McAfee.

Your actions are important

Actions you take after encountering a malicious website are vital when dealing with online fraud. Cybercriminals often focus on the element of surprise, when people are more likely to make mistakes and act without thinking – this is the basis of social engineering^[2] that is so commonly used by crooks for various malicious reasons.

Most users recognize deception immediately, as security software scans can only be performed by an anti-malware application installed on the system (websites simply can't detect whether or not a device is infected). However, some people might not be aware of this fact, and since Norton is such a well-known brand, they might proceed with the instructions provided.

Thus, it would help if you never interacted with a suspicious website – always check the URL of the page showing you questionable claims, look out for spelling or grammar errors, and be especially cautious about sites that include a timer or sow an excessive number of pop-ups.

Check your system for infections and stop push notifications

While the “results” displayed by the fake alert are always incorrect and have nothing to do with the real state of your computer security, the probability of adware or other malware infection shouldn't be dismissed immediately. Users who are constantly redirected to the same malicious pages, encounter pop-ups, banners, and other types of ads, experience browser settings changes, or see other suspicious symptoms, are likely to be infected.

Since it's sometimes difficult to determine how the malicious program is installed and where all of its components are, we strongly recommend running a scan with SpyHunterCombo Cleaner, MalwarebytesMalwarebytes, or another powerful anti-malware software. This will ensure that no malware managed to break into your device and is performing damaging actions in the background without being noticed.

After that, remember to fix damaged system components and clean your browsers – FortectIntego can help you with that. Finally, if you have enabled push notifications from a malicious website, you might receive spam via the API^[3] feature whenever your browser is operational. You can find details on how to remove these annoying pop-ups below and information on how to look for adware manually if you are up for a challenge.