Windows Virtual Firewall is a malicious program you should never spend money on
Windows Virtual Firewall is trying everything to look legitimate. And it actually might look like a good anti-spyware for you, however, it's not. It is another rogue antispyware software from the Fakevimes family. Upon infiltration, it will instantly show up and scan your computer.
After a really short scan, it will show up with many viruses that are supposedly infected your computer. However, keep in mind that this program is capable of warning its victims only about fake viruses that don't even exist.
The only thing that this program wants you to do is to purchase a licensed version of it. However, considering the virus's aggressive behavior, it is very important to remove it from the system as soon as possible (without purchasing the alleged full version that is being offered).
| Name | Windows Virtual Firewall |
| Type | Fake firewall/antispyware, rogue, scam |
| Distribution | Software bundles, fake updates, fake online scanners |
| Dangers | Personal information compromise, other malware infection, financial losses |
| Elimination | Perform a full system scan with SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or another reputable anti-malware |
| System fix | If you experience system lag, crashes or errors, remediate Windows with FortectIntego |
Windows Virtual Firewall can block some antivirus programs from running, so it is advised to use more than one. Additionally, it makes itself start when Windows starts.
As a result, the program shows false spyware detection alerts and fake scanner ads, which tells you that you are very dangerously infected. These messages might pop up every 5-10 minutes to catch your attention and just to annoy you.
Here's an example of the fake security alert that might show up at any time:
Warning!
Location: c:\windows\system32\taskmgr.exe
Viruses: Backdoor.Win32.RbotPotential Threat Details
Windows Virtual Firewall detected potential threats that might compromise your private or damage your computer. Your access to these items may be suspended until you take an action. Click ‘show details’ to learn more.
By scaring you is the easiest way to make you purchase a licensed version of the program. However, if you actually bought it, that means you gave away your money to scammers.
Just make sure you cancel any pop-ups that ask to purchase a licensed version of the application. If you have already paid for the app's full license, contact your credit card company to dispute the charges and, of course, just remove Windows Virtual Firewall from your PC.
Methods of fake security programs distribution
A potentially unwanted program probably infected your computer through some unauthorized updates or new software you installed. While there is no way way to defend yourself from all the possible malware that is out there, anti-malware software is a good start.
Here are a few tips that could help:
- Download programs from reputable or official websites;
- Never visit pirated program or crack distribution sites;
- Patch Windows and the installed apps with the latest security updates;
- During the installation process, don't get tricked by pre-ticked checkboxes or misleading offers;
- Always opt for Advanced/Custom installation settings instead of Recommended/Quick ones.
Remove Windows Virtual Firewall
You can try to eliminate this rogue yourself by following the manual instructions we provide below. However, considering all its malicious functions, you might not succeed. In such a case, you should employ powerful anti-malware software and perform a full system scan.
We recommend using SpyHunterCombo Cleaner or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes as these are the best anti-malware tools according to our tests, and these tools will find and remove all infected files for you automatically. Keep in mind that cleaning your web browsers is equally important as the infection might remain without doing so immediately.
Uninstall from Windows
Uninstall from Windows 10/8:
- Type Control Panel into the Windows search box and open the result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
Uninstall from Windows 7/XP:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel (Windows XP users should click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
Remove the unwanted program:
- In the Programs and Features window, look for any recently installed suspicious entries, select them, and click Uninstall.
- If User Account Control appears, click Yes to confirm, then complete the removal.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click Remove.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Settings > Privacy, search, and services..
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Remove next to any suspicious startup page.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
- This will disable extensions and reset startup pages but will not delete bookmarks, saved passwords, or browsing history.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select the unwanted extension and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Settings.
- Under Home, set your preferred homepage and new tab settings.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data...
- Select Cookies and Site Data and Temporary cached files and pages, then click Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox...
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all suspicious extensions related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
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