Windows Privacy Counsel

Updated: June 12, 2012 Rogue 0 Comment

Windows Privacy Counsel is part of rogue family that keeps on producing malware daily. Programs from this clan have invaded so many computers globally. With vast number of variants circulating the net, this could be the most imitated fake antivirus software to date.

Trojans are known to be linked to Windows Privacy Counsel. It is also the main cause for the propagation of this malware. Computer users may not know, but this Trojan can invade a computer through simple ignorance to software updates. Outdated programs and security holes may be taken advantage by Trojans to drop and execute Windows Privacy Counsel into the target PC. Even your antivirus program cannot help prevent an attack that transpires this way. Worst, this action may stop the antivirus programs from running. Trojans can kill running processes that belongs to security program before they can react to the current crisis on the computer.

Presence of Windows Privacy Counsel can cause damages that only legal security software can repair. Thus, if the rogue program notifies you that buying the registration key will resolve the problem, ignore it right away. Remember that rogue programs are made to steal money from its victims through deceptive ways. The only absolute thing to do is to run a full scan using real anti-malware program.

Screenshot Image:

Windows Privacy Counsel Scanner

Technical Details and Additional Information:

Damage Level: Medium

Systems Affected: Windows 9x, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7

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How to Remove Windows Privacy Counsel

Boot Windows in Safe Mode With Networking

1. First thing to do is to reboot the computer in Safe Mode with Networking to avoid Windows Custom Safety 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.

Windows Privacy Counsel Removal Tool

2. Download anti-malware program here 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, check prompts that software will run and update on itself.

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 thoroughly.
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 belongs to Windows Custom Safety.
10. Restart your computer.

Note: If Windows Custom Safety prevents mbam-setup.exe from downloading. Download the software from another computer. Renaming it to something like 'anything.exe' can help elude the malware.

Alternative Removal Method for Windows Privacy Counsel

Option 1 : Use Windows System Restore to return Windows to previous state

If Windows Privacy Counsel 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 Windows Privacy Counsel 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 : Windows Privacy Counsel manual uninstall guide

IMPORTANT! Manual removal of Windows Privacy Counsel 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 Windows Privacy Counsel.
- Press Ctrl+Alt+Del on your keyboard.
- When Windows Task Manager appears, look for Windows Privacy Counsel files (refer to Technical Reference) and click End Process.

End Task

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.

Run Regedit

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 Windows Privacy Counsel.
- 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.

Technical Reference

Associated Files and Folders:Added Registry Entries: