SpySheriff

SpySheriff interface.

SpySheriff, also known as Brave Sentry, SpywareSheriff, Pest Trap, SpyTrooper,[1] Spywareno, and MalwareAlarm,[2] is malware that disguises itself as an anti-spyware program. SpySheriff attempts to mislead a user into buying the program by repeatedly informing them of false threats to their system.[3] It is very difficult to remove SpySheriff from machines,[4] since it nests its components in System Restore folders, and also blocks some system management tools. Similar to most fake antiviruses, SpySheriff asks the user to register when they click "Remove found threats". However, SpySheriff can be removed if the user already has anti-malware tools on the machine, or owns a rescue disk.

Websites

SpySheriff used to be hosted at www.spy-sheriff.com from 2005 to late 2008 and is now defunct.[5] Several typosquatted websites have also attempted to automatically install SpySheriff, including a fake version of Google.com (called Goggle.com). As of 2015, Goggle.com, which had changed ownership due to a lawsuit by Google, was a survey scam. It is currently a website that shows links to Amazon.com items.

Problems caused by SpySheriff

Another version of SpySheriff.
A fake infection warning pop-up.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "SpySheriff Technical Details". Symantec. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  2. "SpywareNo!". Retrieved 2009-11-11.
  3. "Spyware tunnels in on Winamp flaw". Joris Evers, CNET News.com, February 6, 2006. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  4. "Top 10 rogue anti-spyware". Suze Turner, ZDNet, December 19, 2005. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  5. "SunBelt Security Blog". Sunbelt Security. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  6. Vincentas (18 October 2012). "spysheriff.exe in SpyWareLoop.com". Spyware Loop. Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  7. 1 2 "SpySheriff - CA". CA. Archived from the original on April 5, 2007. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
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