Secureantivirus.info: what it is and how to remove it

From our report of Dec 2021 · not reviewed since

Secureantivirus.info extracts payment from less IT-savvy users for fake antivirus software

Secureantivirus.info is a dubious website that tries to trick people into installing fake antivirus software.

Fake antivirus software pages pretend that they have found an infection on the victim's computer. Many of them try to receive payment for the removal of malware or other threat that has not been actually detected and may not even exist.

The site we are writing about uses scare tactics to push people into "renewing" their antivirus subscription. They are told that if they do not do that, they may be in danger.

Next to the scare tactics, fraudsters also use marketing ploys that introduce the need for a quick payment. People are led to believe that they only have 20 minutes till the discount expires and they can get a subscription for cheaper. We assure you, that this is not real, and if you refresh the page, the clock will be most likely renewed.

You should always use trusted and official sources to install antivirus software. Never believe random pages that open and look for information on external sources.

Sites like Protectionyoupc.com, Antivirus-protection.shop, and Antivirus.safe-web-pc.com all try to fool less IT-savvy people. There are a couple of scenarios of what could happen if you pay for the antivirus software on Secureantivirus.info.

Firstly, you might just make the payment and not receive any software. The worst-case scenario is that the software you are provided with is malware that could lead to serious threats like spyware, crypto-miners, etc.

From our report of Dec 2021 · not reviewed since

Block push notifications and clear your browsers

If you see pop-ups appearing in the corner of the screen that tells you that your system is infected with viruses, you need to disable them in your browser settings.

If you click on these pop-ups they can lead to dangerous pages that use deceptive tactics to lure out your personal information, which could lead to monetary losses or even identity theft.

Push notifications are based on a subscription model so you have to disable them manually. Almost every website you visit uses cookies to track your browsing activity, like the pages you visit, links you click on, and purchases you make. This data can be sold to advertising networks and used to target you with ads even more.

To stop the pop-up ads from appearing, follow our step-by-step guide for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, MS Edge, and Internet Explorer:

Google Chrome (desktop):

Google Chrome (Android):

MS Edge (Chromium):

• Open Google Chrome browser and go to Menu > Settings.
• Locate the Privacy and security section and pick Site Settings > Notifications.
• Look at the Allow section and look for a suspicious URL.
• Click the three vertical dots next to it and pick Block. This should remove unwanted notifications from Google Chrome.
• Open Google Chrome and tap on Settings (three vertical dots).
• Select Notifications.
• Locate the unwanted URL and toggle the button to the left (Off setting).
• Open Mozilla Firefox and go to Menu > Options.
• Click on Privacy & Security section.
• Under Permissions, you should be able to see Notifications. Click Settings button next to it.
• In the Settings – Notification Permissions window, click on the drop-down menu by the URL in question.
• Select Block and then click on Save Changes. This should remove unwanted notifications from Mozilla Firefox.
• Click on Safari > Preferences...
• Go to Websites tab and, under General, select Notifications.
• Select the web address in question, click the drop-down menu and select Deny.
• Open Microsoft Edge, and click the Settings and more button (three horizontal dots) at the top-right of the window.
• Select Settings and then go to Advanced.
• Under Website permissions, pick Manage permissions and select the URL in question.
• Toggle the switch to the left to turn notifications off on Microsoft Edge.
• Open Microsoft Edge, and go to Settings.
• Select Site permissions.
• Go to Notifications on the right.
• Under Allow, you will find the unwanted entry.
• Click on More actions and select Block.
• Open Internet Explorer, and click on the Gear icon at the top-right on the window.
• Select Internet options and go to Privacy tab.
• In the Pop-up Blocker section, click on Settings.
• Locate web address in question under Allowed sites and pick Remove.

From our report of Dec 2021 · not reviewed since

Scan your system for adware

We suggest using trusted professional security tools or to scan your machine automatically.

It should detect most suspicious apps and remove them successfully.

Of course, you can also remove a PUA manually, but it is unknown which particular app could be causing annoying behavior, so removing it can be difficult if you do not have experience. You risk deleting the wrong files or not uninstalling the software fully. If you know which program is at fault, use our guide to help you uninstall it:

To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:

• Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
• Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
• From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
• Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
• If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
• Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
• Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
• In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
• Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
• At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
• In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
• Click OK once the removal process is finished.
• From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
• In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
• Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
• Select Go > Go to Folder.
• Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
• In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
• Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.

From our report of Dec 2021 · not reviewed since

More from our earlier report on Secureantivirus.info

• It wants to make people believe that their McAfee antivirus subscription has expired and they need to renew it.
• The name of McAfee is used to make it look more legitimate as this product is well-known and there are a lot of chances that those who have this security suite installed will open the page.
• If you do have McAfee and see a page like this, open the software itself and check if the subscription has actually ended, or if you want to renew it do it through official channels.
• Secondly, you might receive the software that looks like McAfee, but it is not actually functional.

From our report of Dec 2021 · not reviewed since

Pages like Secureantivirus.info are rarely found in search results.

Most often they are promoted on other shady sites that engage in illegal activities because they are unregulated. They are full of deceptive ads and sneaky redirects. That is why it is so important to be careful online and not click on random links.

You could have also ended up on the site through pop-ups generated by adware. As we mentioned before, many of these fake antivirus pages produce pop-ups that say users' computers are infected by viruses. If you have clicked on one of these pop-ups, you could have been redirected to the site.

Adware is most often spread on freeware distribution sites. Because the owners do not make any money from the software itself, they include additional programs in the installers which they do not disclose on their sites. Most people rush through the installation process and skip the steps, that is how they do not notice PUPs (potentially unwanted programs).

To avoid this in the future, we suggest always choosing the "Custom" or "Advanced" installation method and going through all the stages carefully.

Read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy to learn what the application will be able to do on your system and what information will it collect. The most important part is to look at the file list and untick the boxes next to any programs that seem unrelated.