The Redirect Virus

Viruses are some of the worst forms of malware because they tend to wreak havoc on the systems they infect. The Redirect Virus is no exception. Also known as the Google Redirect Virus, this malware infects systems when users visit malicious sites or download compromised software. Some systems have been infected by the Redirect Virus when users click on what they think is a legitimate website on a search engine results page.

The Redirect Virus hijacks your search results in an attempt to get you to purchase unreliable and unnecessary software or entice you into other scams. Basically, when you search for something, usually using Google, the Redirect Virus sends you to advertisement sites and will not allow you to access legitimate sites.

In addition to sending you to bogus sites, the Redirect Virus gives you an error message claiming that “filename.exe is not a valid Win32 application.” The Redirect Virus will also falsely claim that setup files are corrupt and send you into an endless debugging loop when you are trying to download software. The Redirect Virus infects Internet Explorer and Firefox, blocking access to legitimate sites through search engines and only allowing you to access malicious advertising sites.

Although the Redirect Virus doesn’t seem to actually damage window files, it is probably one of the most annoying viruses out there. Users infected by the Redirect Virus claim that they are unable to use any search engine. Instead, they must use a copy-and-paste method to input the URL of a website directly into the browser to access websites for which they have searched.

Windows systems have historically been vulnerable to malware attacks, and Microsoft is taking steps to correct that problem by integrating more protection and firewalls into the operating system to keep viruses such as the Redirect Virus from replicating.

One way to protect your system from infections like the Redirect Virus is to never download or install unknown or unverified software. If you use chat, instant messaging and peer-to-peer sharing software, you should be particularly careful because these are methods that spread the Redirect Virus. It is imperative that people who use these types of software be vigilant in their antivirus protection efforts and run updates and scans regularly to be sure their system is protected adequately.

Installing website-rating software is another way to protect your computer systems. Several antivirus applications offer a feature that rates a website when you place your cursor over it on a search engine results page. This feature can insure that you only visit legitimate websites and will help avoid infections by the Redirect Virus.

The Redirect Virus has been around long enough that good antivirus software should block it from infecting your system as soon as you attempt to download it, as long as your antivirus software is running and up to date. In addition, many good firewalls and email-filtering systems will check attachments before they are received, offering even more protection against malware such as the Redirect Virus. Running virus scans and updating your antivirus software on a weekly, or even daily, basis should keep the Redirect Virus away from your personal data.

At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™