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Cydoor Spyware?

  • February 6, 2016
  • 1 reply
  • 36 views

Got notice su[pposedly from MS on Verizon internet homepage to call1-866-347-6451 regarding possible infection by Cydoor spyware.  Notice has blocked access to internet.  What now?

1 reply

Baldrick
Gold VIP
  • Gold VIP
  • February 6, 2016
Hi hfeilen
 
Welcome to the Community Forums.
 
Firstly, I have never heard of Microsoft advising that one calls a number of technical suppost and suspect that this is a SCAM caused by a PUA or Potentially Unwanted Application installed on your system, so DO NOT call them number whatever you do.
 
Cydoor is a component that allows applications that use it deliver ads to their users. This type of adware is usually installed when a program is offered for free to allow the author to make money by delivery ads using this type of program.
 
Often such PUAs are installed intentionally by you the user as browser add-ons for various tasks such as quick search tools. But they also come with the result of added annoying pop-ups and ads. Other times they 'piggy back' with other software that you installed, or try to 'sneak' onto your system entirely.
 
The key to avoiding them is to make sure that when downloading apps one does so from the author's own website or one that they have recommended, and not 3rd party downloading site.
 
WSA does detect and remove many PUA's, and more are being added, but WSA does not detect all of them. A simple browser add-on with PUA behaviour that is easy to identify and easy to remove is not likely to be detected and removed by WSA. Those that are intentionally difficult to locate and remove are. Please see THIS LINK for more information regarding Webroot's stance on these annoying programs.
 
To make sure that your WSA is checking for PUA's with the best proficiently, it sometimes helps to reset the PUA detection within WSA's settings. For PUA's that had previously been scanned and determined to be OK, but have since been added to detection/removal, you may want to complete the following steps:
 
  • Open Webroot SecureAnywhere
  • Click on ‘Advanced Settings’ from the top right
  • Select ‘Scan Settings’ from the left side
  • Unselect the option “Detect Potentially Unwanted Applications”
  • Click on the Save button (you may have to enter in a CAPTCHA)
  • Reselect the option to “Detect Potentially Unwanted Applications”
  • Click on the Save button
  • Run another scan with Webroot and remove any items that get detected.
 
If that does not helps and you feel or consider yourself technically proficient then you can try these steps to remove it from your system.
 
And if that does not work or you do not feel technically capable then the best thing to do, as I would recommend in your case, is to Open a Support Ticket & ask Webroot Support to take a look and remove these for you.  There is NO CHARGE for this for valid WSA license holder.
 
Hope that helps?
 
Regards, Baldrick