Low Life Creeps

SmitFraud is making the rounds again. It hijacks your desktop and tries to force you into paying money for them to remove the infection they created. Today's image is an example of one of the many variants you may encounter. Click on it to enlarge. Here are a few names this trash travels under:

AdwarePunisher, AdwareSheriff, AlphaCleaner, AntiSpyCheck, Antispyware Soldier, AntiVermeans, AntiVermins, AntiVerminser, AntiVirGear, AntivirusGolden, AVGold, Awola, BraveSentry, IE Defender, MalwareCrush, MalwareWipe, MalwareWiped, MalwaresWipeds, MalwareWipePro, MalwareWiper, PestCapture, PestTrap, PSGuard, quicknavigate.com, Registry Cleaner, Security iGuard, Smitfraud, SpyAxe, SpyCrush, SpyDown, SpyFalcon, SpyGuard, SpyHeal, SpyHeals, SpyLocked, SpyMarshal, SpySheriff, SpySoldier, Spyware Vanisher, Spyware Soft Stop, SpywareLocked, SpywareQuake, SpywareKnight, SpywareRemover, SpywareSheriff, SpywareStrike, Startsearches.net, TitanShield Antispyware, Trust Cleaner, UpdateSearches.com, Virtual Maid, Virus Heat, Virus Protect, Virus Protect Pro, VirusBlast, VirusBurst, VirusRay, Win32.puper, WinHound, Brain Codec, ChristmasPorn, DirectAccess, DirectVideo, EliteCodec, eMedia Codec, EZVideo, FreeVideo, Gold Codec, HQ Codec, iCodecPack, IECodec, iMediaCodec, Image ActiveX Object, Image Add-on, IntCodec, iVideoCodec, JPEG Encoder, Key Generator, LookForPorn, Media-Codec, MediaCodec, MMediaCodec, MovieCommander, MPCODEC, My Pass Generator, NetProject, Online Image Add-on, Online Video Add-on, PCODEC, Perfect Codec, PowerCodec, PornPass Manager, PornMag Pass, PrivateVideo, QualityCodec, Silver Codec, SearchPorn, SiteEntry, SiteTicket, SoftCodec, strCodec, Super Codec, TrueCodec, VideoAccess, VideoBox, VidCodecs, Video Access ActiveX Object, Video ActiveX Object, Video Add-on, VideoCompressionCodec, VideoKeyCodec, VideosCodec, WinAntiSpyPro, WinMediaCodec, X Password Generator, X Password Manager, ZipCodec...

Unless your tech savvy is in the higher percentile don't attempt a repair. As a matter of fact don't touch the keyboard, don't touch the mouse, don't attempt a proper shutdown. Reach around behind the machine and unplug it immediately. Don't hesitate. The quicker you are able to turn off your PC you'll have a slightly better chance at recovering data. Contact your tech, explain the situation and let them perform the exorcism. Don't get angry if they can't recover data. If it's that important you should have a backup. Be glad they have studied the problem and found the voodoo that removes this garbage. If I ever become Emperor of the Known Universe I'll find these evil bastards. Then I will personally gut shoot them all and laugh while they die slowly in great pain. They are the scum of the solar system.

Gee, hope this post wasn't too wishy-washy.

"The most dangerous untruths are truths moderately distorted."
~Lichtenberg