Smart Defender Pro: what it is and how to remove it
Smart Defender Pro is basically just a rename of the rogue anti-spyware application called Virus Remover Professional. The program has many similarities with other fake security tools such as Extra Antivirus, AV Antispyware, PAntispyware09, and MS Antispyware 2009.
Facts checked October 6, 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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Smart Defender Pro: summary
| Damage | Financial losses, severe malware infections, privacy issues |
|---|---|
| name | Smart Defender Pro |
| Type | Rogue antispyware, PUP |
| Purpose | Sell its licensed version by making users believe that their devices are infected and that only this tool can help |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| 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 6 more facts
| Name | Smart Defender Pro |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
| Program | Smart Defender Pro |
| First seen | 28 April 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is Smart Defender Pro a real security program?
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
Smart Defender Pro – a deceptive security tool that's gunning for your money
Smart Defender Pro is basically just a rename of the rogue anti-spyware application called Virus Remover Professional.
The program has many similarities with other fake security tools such as Extra Antivirus, AV Antispyware, PAntispyware09, and MS Antispyware 2009.
Smart DefenderPro is classified as bogus anti-spyware software because of false scan results, fake security alerts, and browser hijacking. Don't purchase this program. It's a scam! It would be best if you uninstalled Smart Defender Pro from your computer immediately after you spot it.
Usually, SmartDefender Pro is promoted through the use of Trojan viruses. These trojans display fake notifications and pop-ups stating that your PC is seriously infected and has many privacy issues. It is very easy to confuse these fake alerts with legitimate ones, especially for inexperienced users.
This parasite may also be promoted on various malicious websites that provide free anti-malware scanners. These scanners will always display some sort of infections and take you to the homepage of Smart Defender Pro. Please note that no website is able to determine whether you have viruses on your device or not.
While running, SmartDefenderPro will be automatically configured to scan the system each time you log on to Windows. The scan results are predetermined, so you can safely ignore them. To make things worse, this parasite will randomly display various security alerts and pop-ups with information about certain threats and security issues.
These threats are false as well. One of these fake notifications reads:
One more states that:
There are more versions of these false claims, and you should never trust any of them. Last but not least, Smart Defender Pro will hijack your Internet browser and display warnings about insecure connection or possible attacks from a remote computer.
Furthermore, it may slow down your computer or make it unstable. The worst thing, of course, is that this parasite can install additional dangerous malware onto your computer.
Some users have reported that the article's culprit prevented them from opening security-related websites and anti-malware software. If that happens to you, please use our guide below to proceed with the removal in Safe Mode with Networking. Once the infection is gone, repair the damage your device's system sustained by performing system diagnostics with time-proven PC tune-up software.
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Smart Defender Pro
- After threat removal, you should perform a system tune-up with the software to ensure that your device runs without any hiccups
- Your computer is being attacked by an Internet Virus.
- It could be a password-stealing attack, a trojan - dropper or similar.
- Your computer is infected with spyware.
- It could damage your critical files or expose your private data on the Internet.
How to remove Smart Defender Pro
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 Smart Defender Pro says it found needs fixing by Smart Defender Pro. 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 Smart Defender Pro
Smart Defender Pro 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 Smart Defender Pro, 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 Smart Defender Pro, 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 Smart Defender Pro 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
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Manual removal using Safe Mode
Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.
Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking
Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment.
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. - it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes
Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
Step 4. Delete virus files
Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.
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 Smart Defender Pro
Is Smart Defender Pro a virus?
Most programs that appear the way Smart Defender Pro did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
Smart Defender Pro 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 Smart Defender Pro 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.
Someone called offering a refund for Smart Defender Pro. Is it genuine?
Almost certainly not. Refund calls are a well-known second stage of scareware and tech support scams. The caller says you are owed money, asks you to install a remote access program to "process" it, then opens your online banking, makes it look as if too much was refunded and asks you to send the difference back.
Hang up. Real refunds go back to the card or PayPal account you paid with, through your bank or the payment provider, and never need remote access or a gift card.
Did Smart Defender Pro steal my information?
Not by itself, as far as reports show. Programs that display smart Defender Pro in the list of installed apps are built to scare people into paying or calling; they rarely take data on their own.
The risk comes from what you did in response: typing card details into the program, or letting a caller connect to your PC. If you did neither, uninstalling the program is enough. If you did either, treat that information as exposed:
- block the card
- change passwords from another device
- remove any remote-access tool that was installed
What could the caller do while connected to my PC?
Anything you could do. Callers working with fake alerts like Smart Defender Pro typically show you Windows logs as "proof", install their own remote tool for later, and steer you to online banking or a gift card purchase. Some add a password to Windows or lock the PC if you refuse to pay.
Remove every remote access program you did not install yourself, check Settings > Accounts > Other users for new accounts, and change important passwords from a clean device. If you cannot be sure what was changed, a reset of Windows is the safe choice.
Smart Defender Pro 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 Smart Defender Pro 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.
Is Windows Security enough to protect me from programs like Smart Defender Pro?
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 Smart Defender Pro 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.
Is my card safe after buying Smart Defender Pro?
Treat it as exposed. The order page belongs to the seller of Smart Defender Pro, 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 Smart Defender Pro?
Usually not. A thorough clean-up is enough when the offline scan finds nothing afterwards and you do not see smart Defender Pro 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.
Will Fortect remove Smart Defender Pro?
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 Smart Defender Pro, 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 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 6, 2026)