Smart Protection 2012
To deceive computer users and earn money from online fraud, hackers made a software called Smart Protection 2012. If this program exists on your PC, quickly remove it and never obtain the paid version as advice on its own fake security alerts.
Smart Protection 2012 is a rogue program that may control certain functions of the infected computer. Having this virus in the system will lead to a browser redirection. Running Internet Explorer will show up an explicit web site as its home page. Smart Protection 2012 disables some of your tools needed to manually delete this pest, such as task manager, registry editor and Windows safe mode. It also hampers the operation of any security software to avoid removal.
It is common for fake security software to spread with the help of Trojan. In fact, Smart Protection 2012 is utilizing a Trojan, which employs a highly sophisticated technique to hide the infection. This is called rootkit techniques. The process adds difficulty for users as well as antivirus vendors to fight fraud software like Smart Protection 2012.
In order to completely remove Smart Protection 2012 and the Trojan behind its presence, it is necessary to run separate scans of different tools. First, run a full scan of antimalware product to eliminate the rogue program and other components inside the system. Next, get rid of the rootkit Trojan to avoid generating the same infection. TDSS Killer and Norton Power Eraser are the top most known software to fight rootkit Trojan.
Screenshot Image of Smart Protection 2012:
Technical Details and Additional Information:
Damage Level: Medium
Systems Affected: Windows 9x, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7
Malware Behavior
Presence of Smart Protection 2012 produces many annoyances including pop-up alerts, browser redirection and fake virus scan. These courses aim to push user into obtaining the licensed version of the rogue product. Apart from that, authors behind this attack intend to steal sensitive credit card data from victims when purchasing the rogue software online.
If Smart Protection 2012 is running on the computer, it will repeatedly announce potential threats. This malware also blocks every software and tools. Showing off different task bar alert intends to persuade victims into purchasing the licensed version. One of the so many alerts it will display is about the threat LSAS.Sentinel.Keylogger.
Smart Protection 2012 Firewall Alert
Smart Protection 2012 Firewall has blocked a program from accessing the internet.
Ieplore.exe is infected with worm LSAS.Sentinel.Keylogger. This worm is trying to send your credit card details using iexplore.exe to connect to remote host.
Activate Smart Protection 2012
To ensure continuous protection of your PC, you should activate Smart Protection 2012 on this computer.
Video Tutorial (Smart Protection 2012 Removal)
How to Remove Smart Protection 2012
Restore Windows Components
If this virus enters your system, there is a big chance that Windows files, registry entries and other essential components are also infected. System Restore can reinstate clean system files by restoring the configuration to an earlier date. If you have a saved restore point before this virus infiltrates the computer, please restore Windows to previous settings.Activating the Rogue Program
Smart Protection 2012 will block running of any programs from your PC. It also prevents your access to Internet particularly a visit to anti-virus web sites. Execution of Windows tools like Task Manager, Registry Editor and Control Panel is similarly block by the rogue program. Activating the program using the key below will regain you access to the mentioned blocked services.
Activation Code: AA39754E-715219CE
Once activated, you are now free to download the recommended program to scan the computer and remove Smart Protection 2012.
Automatic Removal Procedure
1. First thing to do is to reboot the computer in Safe Mode with Networking to avoid Smart Protection 2012 from loading at start-up. You may want to print this procedure, as we have to restart the computer to complete the removal process.
- Restart the computer.
- Before Windows begins to load, press F8 on your keyboard.
- It will display an Advanced Boot Options menu. Select Safe Mode with Networking.
- Windows will now start in Safe Mode.
2. Download removal software and save it on your Desktop or any location on your PC.
3. When finish downloading, double-click on the file to install the application.
4. Follow the prompts and install with default configuration.
5. Before the installation completes, you need to update the database.
6. Click Finish. Program will run automatically and you will be prompt to update the program before doing a scan. Please update.
7. When finished updating, the tool will run. Select Perform full scan on main screen to check your computer.
8. When scanning is finished, click on Show Results.
9. Make sure that all detected threats are checked, click on Remove Selected. This will delete all files and registry entries that belong to Smart Protection 2012.
10. Restart your computer.
Note:If you cannot download the program due to malware activities, get the software from another computer. Then, rename the file to “anything.exe” to elude the malware.
Removing Rootkit Trojan
On some instances, Rootkit Trojan is the one responsible for dropping Smart Protection 2012 inside the computer. Rootkit Trojan is capable of concealing itself from anti-virus application and hides its presence. This is the reason why we need to neutralize the complicated malware using a special tool designed for this type of infection.
1. Download Norton Power Eraser here. Save it to your desktop.
2. Once download is complete, double click on NPE.Exe.
3. Norton Power Eraser will run. If it prompts for End User License Agreement, please click on Accept.
4. On NPE main window, click on Scan.
5. On next window, select Include Rootkit Scan and click on Restart.
6. NPE will restart the computer and performs rootkit scanning. This may take a while.
7. When scan has completed, NPE will display a list of all detected threats.
Important! If there are any detected threats under Suspicious, remove the check mark. Only threats in Detected category are necessary to remove at this point. Make sure that you mark the Create System Restore Point before proceeding with the fix.
8. Now, click on Fix to start removing any threats associated to Smart Protection 2012.
9. Norton Power Eraser will restart the computer. Then after a reboot, it will initialize and display the eliminated threats.
10. You may now close NPE. That completely removes Smart Protection 2012 rootkit Trojan.
Alternative Removal Method for Smart Protection 2012
Option 1 : Use Windows System Restore to return Windows to previous state
If Smart Protection 2012 enters the computer, there is a big chance that Windows files, registry entries and other essential components are also infected. System Restore can reinstate clean system files by restoring the configuration to an earlier date. The method also replaces compromised files with a clean version. If you have a saved restore point before Smart Protection 2012 infiltrates the PC, we highly encourage you to execute this procedure if none of the above works. You may proceed with Windows System Restore, click here to see the full procedure.
Option 2 : Smart Protection 2012 manual uninstall guide
IMPORTANT! Manual removal of Smart Protection 2012 requires technical skills. Deleting system files and registry entries by mistake may result to total disability of Windows system. We advise you to perform a backup of registry before proceeding with this guide.
1. Kill any running process that belongs to Smart Protection 2012.
- Press Ctrl+Alt+Del on your keyboard.
- When Windows Task Manager appears, look for Smart Protection 2012 files (refer to Technical Reference) and click End Process.
2. Delete all registry entries that belong to this malware.
- Press [Windows Key]+R on your keyboard.
- In the 'Open' dialog box, type regedit and press Enter. This will open registry editor.
- Find and delete registry entries as mentioned in Technical Reference section below.
- Close registry editor. Changes made will be save automatically.
3. Scan the computer with antivirus program.
- Connect to Internet and open your antivirus software. Please update to obtain the latest database and necessary files.
- Restart the computer in Safe Mode.
- Just before Windows logo begins to load press F8 on your keyboard.
- On Windows Advanced Boot Options, select Safe Mode and press Enter.
4. Delete all files dropped by Smart Protection 2012.
- While still in Safe Mode, search and delete malicious files. Please refer to 'Technical Reference'. Make sure that you execute 'End Task' first before deleting the file. Otherwise, the system will not let you perform this action.
killmalware
Jun 21, 2012 @ 01:20:55
Thanks to this procedure. I was able to remove smart protection virus from my computer. I have a piece of advice to other victims. If you pay for it, immediately contact your credit card company to cancel the transaction. Once your CC provider already released the payment to attacker’s bank, there will be no chance to refund the money.