It is an adware program which deceives users and warns them of unexisting threats in their computers. In order to eliminate them, they are enticed to purchase a certain program. It can reach the computer when the user accesses certain websites which display banners or pop-up windows which lead to the download of this program.

Windows 2003/XP/2000/NT/ME/98/95

SecurityEssentials2010 is an adware program that uses the same name as Microsoft's free antimalware protection called Microsoft Security Essentials in order to deceive users and make them think it is a Microsoft product.

Once installed, it warns users of unexisting threats in their computers so that they purchase a certain program that removes them from the computer.

It also carries out several modifications in the Windows Registry that prevent users from changing the Desktop wallpaper and from accessing the Task Manager, which allows users to view the processes that are being run.

SecurityEssentials2010 can reach the computer when the user accesses certain websites which display banners or pop-up windows which lead to the download of this program. It can also reach the computer in a link that can be received via spam messages, fraudulent websites, etc.

SecurityEssentials2010 is easy to recognize, as it shows the symptoms below:

• It reaches the computer in a file with the following icon:
  
  
• When it is run and installed, the interface of the program is displayed and starts scanning the system in search for possible malware:
  
  
• Once finished, it displays a warning message informing users that their computer is infected: