Personal Security is a rogue antispyware program from the same family as widely spread Cyber Security, which is also a fake antispyware program. It is distributed mostly through the use of trojans that may come from fake online malware scanners and misleading websites. When the trojan is downloaded and installed, it will install Personal Security onto computer and will register the fake antispyware in the Windows registry to run automatically when computer starts.
When installed, Personal Security will begin to scan your computer and list a variety of infections that will not be fixed unless you first purchase the program. All of these infections are fake and do not actually exist on your computer, so you can safely ignore them.
While Personal Security is running, you will be shown nag screens, notifications from Windows task bar and other pop-ups. Some of the alerts:
Security Center
Security Center reports that ‘Personal Security’ is inactive.
Antivirus software helps to protect your computer againts
viruses and other security threats. Click here for the
suggested actions. Your system might be at risk now.
Personal Security – vulnerable file(s) found!
Personal Security has identified that some documents nd files can be vulnerable to viruses.
You may lose your personal data and infect other network computers.
Personal Security Alert!
Protect your PC from violent virus attack!
The rogue will also show fake Windows Security Center that will suggest you register Personal Security. Of course, all of these warnings and suggestions are fake and should be ignored!
As you can see, Personal Security is a scam and should be removed from the system as soon as possible. Use these Personal Security removal instructions below in order to remove this infection and any associated malware from your computer for free.
More screen shoots of Personal Security
Symptoms in a HijackThis Log
O2 – BHO: &Security Update – {35A5B43B-CB8A-49CA-A9F4-D3B308D2E3CC} – C:\WINDOWS\system32\win32extension.dll
O4 – HKCU\..\Run: [PSecurity] C:\Program Files\PSecurity\psecurity.exe
Use the following instructions to remove Personal Security (Uninstall instructions)
Step 1.
Download Avenger from here and unzip to your desktop.
Run Avenger, copy, then paste the following text in Input script Box:
Drivers to delete:
NDISRD
Registry keys to delete:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{35A5B43B-CB8A-49CA-A9F4-D3B308D2E3CC}
Folders to delete:
%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\PSecurityUninstall
%ProgramFiles%\PSecurity
%ProgramFiles%\PersonalSec
%ProgramFiles%\PersSecurity
Files to delete:
%WinDir%\system32\win32extension.dll
%WinDir%\system32\drivers\NDISRD.sys
%WinDir%\tasks\PersonalSec.job
You will be asked Are you sure you want to execute the current script?. Click Yes. You will now be asked “First step completed — The Avenger has been successfully set up to run on next boot. Reboot now?”. Click Yes.
Your PC will now be rebooted.
Step 2.
Download MalwareBytes Anti-malware (MBAM). Close all programs and Windows on your computer.
Double Click mbam-setup.exe to install the application. When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue with the installation process. Do not make any changes to default settings and when the program has finished installing, make sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
Once the program has loaded you will see window similar to the one below.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Window
Select Perform Quick Scan, then click Scan, it will start scanning your computer for Personal Security infection. This procedure can take some time, so please be patient.
When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results. You will see a list of infected items similar as shown below. Note: list of infected items may be different than what is shown in the image below.
Malwarebytes Anti-malware, list of infected items
Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected for start Personal Security removal process. When disinfection is completed, a log will open in Notepad and you may be prompted to Restart.
Note: if you need help with the instructions, then post your questions in our Spyware Removal forum.
Personal Security creates the following files and folders
C:\Program Files\Common Files\PSecurityUninstall
C:\Windows\system32\win32extension.dll
C:\Program Files\PSecurity
C:\Windows\system32\drivers\NDISRD.sys
Personal Security creates the following registry keys and values
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{35A5B43B-CB8A-49CA-A9F4-D3B308D2E3CC}
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\PSecurity
Daniel, if Avenger won`t run, try rename it (use any random name) and run once again.
Ive got Personal Security removed …however i still dont have an internet connection?
nevermind…just uninstalled the connection and rebooted… all good now!
Thank you all for all the good info!! my sons netbook had that damn personal security on it, and i couldnt get anything to download, it stopped it!! it wouldnt run the antivirus program nothing! the only way i could get it removed was threw my computer/program files, etc… U ROCK!! THANK YOU!!
I can’t get avenger to unzip. Help.
hey i just want to know does rebooting my computer mean that all my data would be gone?
Melanei, right click the file, then select Extract all. Follow the prompts. If it does not work, then try download and use WinZip.
Janelle, Avenger and Malwarebytes will only remove malware files.
i can’t get Avenger to open after i downloaded it. I went to Hijakthis and the download there will not open. I need this removed from my system because it is driving me crazy and i can’t get my homework done. thank for andy and all advice.
EDITED VERSION
I just finish helping a friend get rid of this. No programs seemed to work on it. Run/Regedit, mbam. rkill, hijackthis wouldn’t work in normal mode
This is what finally worked
Safemode/Command prompt/regedit/Delete the Following
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run “PSecurity”
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent\post platform “WinTSI
I could then clean it up with hijackthis
Hope this helps
andrea, try re-download Avenger, but before saving, rename avenger.exe to explorer.exe and click Save button.
Run it.
Hi, I can’t download anything cause personal security won’t allow me to. It also isn’t allowing me to just uninstall. Any ideas?
Thanks Tania
Tania, use another PC to download Avenger and MBAM, then move them to infected PC using a flash disk or cddisk.
why does my laptop keep shutting down and restarting on its own (while i’m working on my laptop). pls help. thanks.
Thanks so much for the tips! Worked like a charm.
It’s noow 3:20AM so I can go to bed finally! What a nasty pain the the A^*^* ‘Personal Security’ is!
Thanks again!
calvin, ask for help in our Spyware removal forum.
i couldn’t get rid of this annoying virus thing ‘personel security’ or wot ever its called it does my head. i am now system restoring my laptop i hope it works or im gonna cry. i tried to download the spywere removal but i can’t open it. a warning comes up saying there is a problem with the the program it won’t open!! i can’t even open my task manager. and my anti virus program doesn’t detect it. wot sort of annoying virus is this!! grrr! please some on help me get rid of this f***ing program
yeah it worked!!! its not on my system anymore. but i don’t know if i should download the avenger thing. i checked it on programs and feature! yeepeeeeeeee. everything is back to normal now.
KEEGAN?? THANK’S A MILLION!! I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET RID OF THAT PAIN IN THE A$$ FOR 2 DAYS…LOL! That is the simpliest way to get rid of it. I have never been so frustrated and irritated. Thanks, again!! To those interested…read keegan’s post on january 16th, 2010. I followed those instructions and “wha la” LATER SUCKER!!
Michelle of 2/1/10 – Thanks for sending me to Carl Keegan’s 1/16/10 comment. Worked Perfectly First Time! Thanks Bunches Carl Keegan & Barry Tottes!!!
Here is their fix:
thanks barry tottes that worked 1. Open My computer, choose Disk C;
2. Find Program Files=>Common Files=>PSecurityUninstall=>Uninstall
3. Run the file Uninstall.lnk
Comment by carl keegan — January 16, 2010
I have tried all of your suggestions on my desktop and I can’t get rid of the Personal Security. I did the uninstall and it said it was successful, but I’m still getting the pop ups and I still can’t get to the internet. I went into the registry and none of the folders and/or files are listed. I went into safe mode and that didn’t seem to help either. I’m at a loss and really need some help. My desktop is still running XP. Don’t know if that makes any difference.
Skeeter, if the above instructions does not help you, then ask for help in our Spyware removal forum.
THANK YOU! Worked great! Highly recommend this sight!!
ive downloaded avenger and unzipped it onto my desktop but as i did that personal security popped up and said a virus was attacking my desktop, now none of my files are showing up on the desktop. I cant get into avenger now and so im pretty much stuck can anyone help me please?????
just to echo on whats been said already, thank you very much for this site its good to know there are some decent people online who are there to help when crap like Personal security is around. If you were local id buy you a drink! Thanks again
Anthony
THX GUYS IM SO HAPPY THANKS FOR ALL THX THX THX I CANT FORGOT THAT I FIXD MY PC THX!!!!
You guys are great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks !!!!!!
Hey thanks so much for this. We have spent hours today trying to get rid of that horrible virus with no luck until we followed ur instructions. Thank you
The program doesn’t let you download any software. We sent a message to the company that created Personal Security on the “customer service” link that we would track them down and sue them for attacking our kids computer. They emailed this solution and it worked in less than one minute. We still downloaded and ran an antispyware program afterwards to make sure nothing remained. This was their response which worked:
“Dear customer,
Thank you for contacting Customer Support Center.
Please follow my instructions to uninstall the program:
Paste the following string to Windows Explorer address bar and execute it (Press Enter key):
C:\Program Files\Common Files\PSecurityUninstall\Uninstall
or
1. Open My computer, choose Disk C;
2. Find Program Files=>Common Files=>PSecurityUninstall=>Uninstall
3. Run the file Uninstall.lnk
After that our product will be removed.Sometimes it takes more than one try to remove the product due to temporary technical difficulties, so please try to do it several times.
If you have any questions concerning our software, please contact our Customer Support Service.
With best wishes,
Customer Support Team
cannot get avenger to unzip, can you help???