XP Anti-Virus 2011, Vista Total Security 2011, and Win 7 Home Security include some of the names that a new name-changing rogue will randomly use when installing itself on a victim's computer. When this particular rogue is installed, it will install itself as a variety of different program names, with each having their own graphical user interface depending on the version of Windows that the computer is running. Regardless of the name, though, they are all the exact same program with just a different name and skin on it. This rogue goes by many different program names, which I have listed below based upon the version of Windows that it is installed on:

Windows XP Rogue Names	Windows Vista Rogue Names	Windows 7 Rogue Names
XP Anti-Virus	Vista Anti-Virus	Win 7 Anti-Virus
XP Anti-Virus 2011	Vista Anti-Virus 2011	Win 7 Anti-Virus 2011
XP Anti-Spyware	Vista Anti-Spyware	Win 7 Anti-Spyware
XP Anti-Spyware 2011	Vista Anti-Spyware 2011	Win 7 Anti-Spyware 2011
XP Home Security	Vista Home Security	Win 7 Home Security
XP Home Security 2011	Vista Home Security 2011	Win 7 Home Security 2011
XP Total Security	Vista Total Security	Win 7 Total Security
XP Total Security 2011	Vista Total Security 2011	Win 7 Total Security 2011
XP Security	Vista Security	Win 7 Security
XP Security 2011	Vista Security 2011	Win 7 Security 2011
XP Internet Security	Vista Internet Security	Win 7 Internet Security
XP Internet Security 2011	Vista Internet Security 2011	Win 7 Internet Security 2011

When installed, this rogue pretends to be a security update for Windows installed via Automatic Updates. It will then install itself as a single executable with a random 3 letter name and configures itself to launch, if not already started, every time you start another executable. It will also modify certain Windows Registry keys so that when you launch FireFox or Internet Explorer from the Window Start Menu it will launch the rogue instead and display a fake firewall warning.

 

XP Anti-Spyware 2011 Screen shot
For more screen shots of this infection click on the image above.
There are a total of 12 images you can view.

 

Once started, the rogue itself, like all other rogues, will scan your computer and state that there are numerous infections on it. If you attempt to use the program to remove any of these infections, though, it will state that you need to purchase the program first. In reality, though, the infections that the rogues states are on your computer are all legitimate files that if deleted could cause Windows to not operate correctly. Therefore, please do not manually delete any files based upon the results from this rogue's scan.

The rogue also utilizes aggressive techniques to make it so that you cannot remove it. When you attempt to launch a program, if it is considered to be a security risk, the rogue will terminate it and instead display a false security alert stating that the program is infected. The text of this alert is:

Win 7 Anti-Spyware 2011 Firewall Alert
Win 7 Anti-Spyware 2011 has blocked a program from accessing the internet
Internet Explorer is infected with Trojan-BNK.Win32.Keylogger.gen
Private data can be stolen by third parties, including credit card details and passwords.

Just like the scan results, this fake infection alert can be ignored.

While running, XP Total Security 2011, Vista Internet Security 2011, and Win 7 Security 2011 will also display fake security alerts on the infected computer. The text of some of these alerts are:

System danger!
Your system security is in danger. Privacy threats detected. Spyware, keyloggers or Trojans may be working the background right now. Perform an in-depth scan and removal now, click here.

System Hijack!
System security threat was detected. Viruses and/or spyware may be damaging your system now. Prevent infection and data loss or stealing by running a free security scan.

Privacy threat!
Spyware intrusion detected. Your system is infected. System integrity is at risk. Private data can be stolen by third parties, including credit card details and passwords. Click here to perform a security repair.

Stealth intrusion!
Infection detected in the background. Your computer is now attacked by spyware and rogue software. Eliminate the infection safely, perform a security scan and deletion now.

Just like the scan results, these security warnings and alerts are all fake and should be ignored.

While running, XP Anti-Virus 2011, Vista Total Security 2011, and Win 7 Home Security 2011 will also hijack Internet Explorer so that you cannot visit certain sites. It does this so that you cannot receive help or information at sites like BleepingComputer.com on how to remove this infection. When you attempt to visit these sites you will instead be shown a fake alert stating that the site you are visiting is dangerous and that the rogue is blocking it for your protection. The message that you will see is:

Internet Explorer alert. Visiting this site may pose a security threat to your system!
Possible reasons include:
- Dangerous code found in this site's pages which installed unwanted software into your system.
- Suspicious and potentially unsafe network activity detected.
- Spyware infections in your system
- Complaints from other users about this site.
- Port and system scans performed by the site being visited.

Things you can do:
- Get a copy of Vista Antispyware 2011 to safeguard your PC while surfing the web (RECOMMENDED)
- Run a spyware, virus and malware scan
- Continue surfing without any security measures (DANGEROUS)

Just like the fake security alerts, the browser hijack is just another attempt to make you think that your computer has a security problem so that you will then purchase the program.

Without a doubt, this rogue is designed to scam you out of your money by hijacking your computer and trying to trick you into thinking you are infected. Therefore, please do not purchase this program , and if you have, please contact your credit card company and dispute the charges stating that the program is a computer infection. Finally, to remove XP Home Security 2011, Vista Anti-Spyware 2011, and Win 7 Total Security 2011 please use the guide below, which only contains programs that are free to use.

 

Threat Classification:

• Information on Rogue Programs & Scareware

 

Advanced information:

View XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security files.
View XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security Registry Information.

 

Tools Needed for this fix:

• Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

 

Guide Updates:

02/18/11 - Initial guide creation.
04/07/11 - Updated removal steps.

 

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Automated Removal Instructions for XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware:

 

1. Print out these instructions as we may need to close every window that is open later in the fix.
   
   
2. Reboot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking. To do this, turn your computer off and then back on and immediately when you see anything on the screen, start tapping the F8 key on your keyboard. Eventually you will be brought to a menu similar to the one below:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Using the arrow keys on your keyboard, select Safe Mode with Networking and press Enter on your keyboard. If you are having trouble entering safe mode, then please use the following tutorial: How to start Windows in Safe Mode
   
   Windows will now boot into safe mode with networking and prompt you to login as a user. Please login as the same user you were previously logged in with in the normal Windows mode. Then proceed with the rest of the steps.
   
   
3. It is possible that the infection you are trying to remove will not allow you to download files on the infected computer. If this is the case, then you will need to download the files requested in this guide on another computer and then transfer them to the infected computer. You can transfer the files via a CD/DVD, external drive, or USB flash drive.
   
   
4. Before we can do anything we must first end the processes that belong to XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security so that it does not interfere with the cleaning procedure. To do this, please download RKill to your desktop from the following link.
   
   RKill Download Link - (Download page will open in a new tab or browser window.)
   
   When at the download page, click on the Download Now button labeled Rkill.com. When you are prompted where to save it, please save it on your desktop.
   
   
5. Once it is downloaded, double-click on the Rkill.com icon in order to automatically attempt to stop any processes associated with XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security and other Rogue programs. Please be patient while the program looks for various malware programs and ends them. When it has finished, the black window will automatically close and you can continue with the next step. If you get a message that RKill is an infection, do not be concerned. This message is just a fake warning given by XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security when it terminates programs that may potentially remove it. If you run into these infections warnings that close RKill, a trick is to leave the warning on the screen and then run RKill again. By not closing the warning, this typically will allow you to bypass the malware trying to protect itself so that RKill can terminate XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security . So, please try running RKill until the malware is no longer running. You will then be able to proceed with the rest of the guide. Do not reboot your computer after running RKill as the malware programs will start again.
   
   If you continue having problems running RKill, you can download the other renamed versions of RKill from the RKill download page. All of these files are renamed copies of RKill, which you can try instead. Please note that the download page will open in a new browser window or tab.
   
   
6. As this infection is known to be bundled with the TDSS/Necurs rootkit infection, you should also run a program that can be used to scan for this infection. Please follow the steps in the following guide:
   

   How to remove Google Redirects or the TDSS, TDL3, or Alureon rootkit using TDSSKiller

   If after running TDSSKiller, you are unable to update Malwarebytes' Anti-malware or continue to have Google search result redirects, then you should post a virus removal request using the steps in the following topic rather than continuing with this guide:
   

   Preparation Guide For Use Before Using Malware Removal Tools and Requesting Help Topic

   If TDSSKiller requires you to reboot, please allow it to do so. After you reboot, reboot back into Safe Mode with Networking again.
   
   
7. Now you should download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, or MBAM, from the following location and save it to your desktop:
   
   Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Download Link (Download page will open in a new window)
   
8. Once downloaded, close all programs and Windows on your computer, including this one.
   
   
9. Double-click on the icon on your desktop named mbam-setup.exe. This will start the installation of MBAM onto your computer.
   
   
10. 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 you leave both the Update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware checked. Then click on the Finish button. If MalwareBytes' prompts you to reboot, please do not do so.
    
    
11. MBAM will now automatically start and you will see a message stating that you should update the program before performing a scan. As MBAM will automatically update itself after the install, you can press the OK button to close that box and you will now be at the main program as shown below.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. On the Scanner tab, make sure the the Perform full scan option is selected and then click on the Scan button to start scanning your computer for XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security related files.
    
    
13. MBAM will now start scanning your computer for malware. This process can take quite a while, so we suggest you go and do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan. When MBAM is scanning it will look like the image below.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
14. When the scan is finished a message box will appear as shown in the image below.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    You should click on the OK button to close the message box and continue with the XP Anti-Spyware 2011 & Win 7 Internet Security 2011 removal process.
    
    
15. You will now be back at the main Scanner screen. At this point you should click on the Show Results button.
    
    
16. A screen displaying all the malware that the program found will be shown as seen in the image below. Please note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    You should now click on the Remove Selected button to remove all the listed malware. MBAM will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the programs quarantine. When removing the files, MBAM may require a reboot in order to remove some of them. If it displays a message stating that it needs to reboot, please allow it to do so. Once your computer has rebooted, and you are logged in, please continue with the rest of the steps.
    
    
17. When MBAM has finished removing the malware, it will open the scan log and display it in Notepad. Review the log as desired, and then close the Notepad window.
    
    
18. You can now exit the MBAM program.
    
    
19. As many rogues and other malware are installed through vulnerabilities found in out-dated and insecure programs, it is strongly suggested that you use Secunia PSI to scan for vulnerable programs on your computer. A tutorial on how to use Secunia PSI to scan for vulnerable programs can be found here:
    
    How to detect vulnerable and out-dated programs using Secunia Personal Software Inspector

 

Your computer should now be free of the XP Anti-Spyware 2011 & Win 7 Internet Security 2011 program. If your current anti-virus solution let this infection through, you may want to consider purchasing the PRO version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future.

If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow the steps outlined in the topic linked below:

Preparation Guide For Use Before Using Malware Removal Tools and Requesting Help

 

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Associated XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security Files:

<b>Windowws 7 and Windows Vista:</b>

%AllUsersProfile%\t3e0ilfioi3684m2nt3ps2b6lru
%AppData%\Local\<random 3 letters>.exe
%AppData%\Local\t3e0ilfioi3684m2nt3ps2b6lru
%AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates\t3e0ilfioi3684m2nt3ps2b6lru
%Temp%\t3e0ilfioi3684m2nt3ps2b6lru

<b>Windows XP:</b>

%AllUsersProfile%\t3e0ilfioi3684m2nt3ps2b6lru
%AppData%\t3e0ilfioi3684m2nt3ps2b6lru
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\<random 3 letters>.exe
%UserProfile%\Templates\t3e0ilfioi3684m2nt3ps2b6lru
%Temp%\t3e0ilfioi3684m2nt3ps2b6lru

File Location Notes:

%UserProfile% refers to the current user's profile folder. By default, this is C:\Documents and Settings\<Current User> for Windows 2000/XP, C:\Users\<Current User> for Windows Vista/7/8, and c:\winnt\profiles\<Current User> for Windows NT.

%Temp% refers to the Windows Temp folder. By default, this is C:\Windows\Temp for Windows 95/98/ME, C:\DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\<Current User>\LOCAL SETTINGS\Temp for Windows 2000/XP, and C:\Users\<Current User>\AppData\Local\Temp in Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

%AllUsersProfile% refers to the All Users Profile folder. By default, this is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users for Windows 2000/XP and C:\ProgramData\ for Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

%AppData% refers to the current users Application Data folder. By default, this is C:\Documents and Settings\<Current User>\Application Data for Windows 2000/XP. For Windows Vista and Windows 7 it is C:\Users\<Current User>\AppData\Roaming.

 

Associated XP Anti-Virus 2011 & Win 7 Home Security Windows Registry Information:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.exe "(Default)" = 'exefile'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.exe "Content Type" = 'application/x-msdownload'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.exe\DefaultIcon "(Default)" = '%1' = '"%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\<random 3 letters>.exe" /START "%1" %*'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.exe\shell\open\command "IsolatedCommand" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.exe\shell\runas\command "(Default)" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.exe\shell\runas\command "IsolatedCommand" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\exefile "(Default)" = 'Application'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\exefile "Content Type" = 'application/x-msdownload'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\exefile\DefaultIcon "(Default)" = '%1'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\exefile\shell\open\command "(Default)" = '"%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\<random 3 letters>.exe" /START "%1" %*'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\exefile\shell\open\command "IsolatedCommand" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\exefile\shell\runas\command "(Default)" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\exefile\shell\runas\command "IsolatedCommand" - '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\DefaultIcon "(Default)" = '%1'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\shell\open\command "(Default)" = '"%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\<random 3 letters>.exe" /START "%1" %*'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\shell\open\command "IsolatedCommand" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\shell\runas\command "(Default)" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\shell\runas\command "IsolatedCommand" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile "Content Type" = 'application/x-msdownload'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command "IsolatedCommand" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas\command "IsolatedCommand" = '"%1" %*'
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command "(Default)" = '"%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\<random 3 letters>.exe" /START "%1" %*'
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\FIREFOX.EXE\shell\open\command "(Default)" = '"%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\<random 3 letters>.exe" /START "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"'
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\FIREFOX.EXE\shell\safemode\command "(Default)" = '"%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\<random 3 letters>.exe" /START "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -safe-mode'
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\StartMenuInternet\IEXPLORE.EXE\shell\open\command "(Default)" = '"%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\<random 3 letters>.exe" /START "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"'

 

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BleepingComputer.com can not be held responsible for problems that may occur by using this information. If you would like help with any of these fixes, you can ask for malware removal assistance in our Virus, Trojan, Spyware, and Malware Removal Logs forum.

If you have any questions about this self-help guide then please post those questions in our Am I infected? What do I do? and someone will help you.