Computer users who have to deal with rogue antispyware infection from time to time should be familiar with the name MS Removal Tool. It is a dangerous computer threat, which helps cyber criminals to make loads of money. What the users might not know, however, is HOW exactly these rogues get redistributed and the fake antivirus business works. The mechanics behind BestAV2 domain has been revealed in the latest research.
The most outrageous thing about the site is that it recruits people to distribute fake security software, offering them half of the profit, while the other half goes to the site owner. Its spells easy money and it surely is, as the statistics show that creators and distributors of fake antivirus programs earn around $1000 every single day. Keeping in mind that the usual price for the fake program lifetime support is usually $79.95, it proves that there are more than two people tricked daily.
The website which is responsible for the distribution of such rogue antispyware as Security Shield 2011, MS Removal Tool, Essential Cleaner and the like, is called BestAV2 (bestavsoft2.com). It is claimed that the domain’s database is used for information purposes only, and the information hosted can contain only legal content. At the same time the site is not supposed to have the ability to transfer personal information of the account holders, such as e-mail, telephone or fax numbers, although that is very doubtful, because one has to be registered if one wants to browse around the website.
The domain is registered in Ukraine and anyone who registers to the website and has enough of money, can buy the fake software and then profit from infecting other people. BestAV2 also provides the list of countries where their software is the most “popular”. Some of the countries in the list are the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia – basically, this list comprises the countries, where the biggest number of users get tricked by fake antispyware programs, and where the cyber criminals are able to make the highest profits.
BestAV2 even provides the users’ statistics grouped by date, country or the accounts, which show how many installs and sales the users have made overall. And at first glance it might seem like perfectly legal operations, because they even have their conditions of use, saying that “refunds and chargebacks [are] on the balance of adverts”, and that they do not allow “any attempts to carding our software”.
In the end, this research proves that the fake antispyware distribution network is very professional. It is a big money-making machine which profits everyone except for its victims. Needless to say, that BestAV2 is definitely not only one domain which exercises such practice. Cyber criminals are showing no signs of stopping and we still have a long way ahead of us, fighting the illegal activities directed towards computer and user security.
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