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Windows Care Tool

Alias: Windows Care Tool, Microsoft Security Essentials Alert

Description: Posted on: Feb 9, 2011 10:39am

Windows Care Tool is a fake Windows belonging to the Microsoft Security Essentials Alert family of rogue products. Once it infects your computer, Windows Care Tool pretends to scan your computer for viruses then claims to finds various infections. If you accept to remove the alleged infections, you are directed to their payment page in order to purchase the full version.

The fact that Windows Care Tool arrives at your computer without your knowledge makes it also a trojan. In order for Windows Care Tool to stop you from removing it, it disables your existing antivirus and antispyware programs and blocks access to help forums and to major name brand antispyware and antivirus vendor websites. It can also disable Task Manager so that you don't shut it down manually.

If you try to run your antivirus to remove Windows Care Tool, you receive a security alert warning saying that the application is infected. Other messages are:

Considerable System productivity Decline is observed.

Total System scanning is recommended to remove all all reasons of productivity decline.

Windows Care Tool is normally installed by means of a trojan or by drive-by downloads from rogue websites. In sone cases, it can be mistakenly downloaded from one of many fraudulent Fake Scanner Sites.

Windows Care Tool displays exaggerated fake scan results similar to those shown below:

Windows Care Tool Special Removal Instructions

Step 1a: Follow this if you can download files directly onto the infected computer. Download SpyNoMore and go to Step 2 below NOTE: The installer will be named explorer.exe. If you cannot download directly to the infected computer, go to Step 1b.

Step 1b: Follow this if you have access to two computers and know how to transfer files between them. download SpyNoMore onto a clean computer and transfer it to the infected computer (by using a network or a flash drive). Go to Step 2 below. NOTE: The installer will be named explorer.exe.

Step 1c: Follow this if you cannot download directly to the infected computer and you do not know how to transfer files between two computers. Click here for instructions on how to restart your computer in Safe Mode with Networking. Once you are logged in Safe Mode, you can download SpyNoMore. NOTE: The installer will be named explorer.exe.

Step 2: Double-click iexplore.exe to install SpyNoMore on the infected computer. When the installation is completed, SpyNoMore will check for and download available updates which will alert Windows Care Tool to its presence at which point Windows Care Tool may shut down SpyNoMore. If that happens, simply restart SpynoMore form the desktop icon.

Step 3: SNM will scan your computer and if Windows Care Tool is present, SNM will detect it and you will be able to see either Windows Care Tool or Microsoft Security Essentials Alert in the scan results. These are the same product. Please note that the free version of SpyNoMore will only show you the detections but will not remove them. In order to remove the infection you need to purchase a 1-year license which costs $29 (or $39 for 3 computers). In all cases, you will be able to see the infection in the free version scan results.

Step 4: Purchase the activation key from a clean computer by clicking on our Purchase link on spynomore.com. Write down the activation key and use it to activate SNM on the infected computer. This will remove Windows Care Tool and restore your internet connection. You will again be able to run your programs and applications without trouble.

Step 5 (optional): It would be a good idea to check your computer for rootkits (which are basically hidden trojans) which may have tagged along with Windows Care Tool. To do so, download and run TDSSKiller by Kaspersky Labs.

Step 6 (optional): If TDSSKiller does find a rootkit, it will ask you to restart your computer so that it can remove the rootkit(s). After your computer restart, scan your computer once more with SpyNoMore to make sure everthing is OK.

Windows Care Tool Special Removal Instructions

Step 1: Bookmark this page.

Step 2: Windows Care Tool prevents you from running programs. We created a special SpyNoMore installer to work around the infection. To download the special installer click here.

Note that you can download the special installer to a clean computer then transfer it to the infected computer. You can use a thumb drive to do that, or transfer it via an existing computer network.

If your browser opens to 'Internet Explorer Safe Mode', follow the instructions here to fix this.
If your browser is not opening pages, follow the instructions here to fix this.

Step 3: Install SpyNoMore on the infected computer. When the installation is completed, SpyNoMore will check for and download available updates. Download any available updates. After the update is completed, the infection may shut down SpyNoMore, simply restart it from SpyNoMore's (blue shield) desktop icon.

Step 4: SNM will scan your computer and if Windows Care Tool is present, SNM will detect it and you will be able to see Windows Care Tool or Microsoft Security Essentials Alert in the scan results. These are the same product. Please note that the free version of SpyNoMore will only show you the detections but will not remove them. In order to remove the infection you need to purchase a 1-year license which costs $29.95 (or $39.95 for 3 computers).

Step 5: After you run the free scan, you can purchase SpyNoMore by clicking on the Remove Spyware button and completing the purchase. Alternatively, you can purchase the activation key from a clean computer by clicking on our Purchase link on our website. Write down the activation key and use it to activate SNM on the infected computer. This will remove Windows Care Tool and fix any problems that may have come along with it (such as loss of Internet connection or inability to run programs).

Step 6 (optional but recommended): It would be a good idea to check your computer for rootkits (which are basically hidden trojans) which may have tagged along with Windows Care Tool. To do so, download and run TDSSKiller by Kaspersky Labs.

Step 7 (optional but recommended): If TDSSKiller does find a rootkit, it will ask you to restart your computer so that it can remove the rootkit(s). After your computer restart, scan your computer once more with SpyNoMore to make sure everthing is OK.

Threat type:

Hijacker - A Hijacker is a software application that takes control of your browser's settings. Usually it changes your home page and redirects it to some unknown site or modifies your search settings. It prevents you from changing back your browser's settings. An infected browser usually operates much slower.

Ransomware - Ransomware is a software application that infects a computer and asks for money to have the infection removed.

Trojan - A Trojans or Trojan Horse is any programs that installs itself secretly, quite often with sinister intent. Once installed, the trojan author (hacker) can gain complete control of the infected PC. Trojans are usually designed to steal sensitive information and/or destroy the system. Trojans can be distributed as unsolicited email attachments, or bundled with freeware and shareware programs.

Advice: Remove This is a very high risk threat and should be removed immediately as to prevent harm to your computer and / or to protect your privacy.

Detection:
SpyNoMore removes Windows Care Tool: Yes

Threat risk: Very High Risk

Extremely dangerous malware. Uses stealth installation, randomly named entries and has the capability to self update or resurrect after incomplete removal. Almost impossible to remove manually. Category mostly consists of trojans and spyware.

Symptoms:

Considerable System productivity Decline is observed.

Total System scanning is recommended to remove all all reasons of productivity decline.

Windows Care Tool Signature Details: The following information includes some of the standard signatures associated with this spyware threat. Please do not attempt to manually remove these items from your computer; Removing these items incorrectly or partially can cause your computer to experience critical errors, prevent your computer from restarting or cause loss of Internet connectivity. Should you be infected with Windows Care Tool, you can clean your computer by downloading SpyNoMore now.

Running Process Signatures:
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File Signatures:
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Registered Dll (Dynamic Link Library) Signatures:
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Folder Signatures:
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Registry Signatures:
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SpyNoMore Collected Residual File Signatures:
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