Two Ways to Remove the Green AV Virus

The Green AV Virus or Green Antivirus 2009 is a virus that gives the appearance of Microsoft Security Center. When your computer gets infected you'll see all sorts of popup windows that make it look like it's something trying to help you when in fact it's out to mess up your computer. If you see anything that looks like Microsoft Security Center and you don't have it installed on your machine then don't let it do anything to your machine.

There are two ways to remove this virus from your machine. The first way is the manual way, which comes from cantalktech.com. They provide a three-step process:

1. Go to your c: drive and traverse through the following directories - Program Files, then Documents and Settings, then All Users, then Application Data, then GAV.

2. Delete the following files in the GAV directory - gav.exe, mgrdll.exe.

3. Delete the GAV folder by putting it in your Recycle Bin and then emptying the trash in the Recycle Bin. Once that's done reboot your machine.

It is recommended that you follow these three steps in Windows Safe Mode.

The way I was able to remove it, with the help of my job's IT guy, I downloaded a free anti-malware program called Malwarebytes. I got the free software from CNET's download.com website. He helped me install that program and then we did an update so that it would check against the latest database of spyware and malware. It was able to find the virus and eliminate it fairly quickly, and then I was back on the road again to do work. My concern was that if I got on the network at work I didn't want to spread the virus to my co-workers' machines.

If you find that you're in a situation like I was where your computer has been compromised and you don't want it to spread in a work environment or other group setting, do the following:

1. Try and eliminate the problem yourself through anti-virus programs that you already have on your machine.

2. Research the virus on your computer (if in Windows, use Safe Mode if you can) and see what steps are recommended.

3. If all else fails, when you get to work, turn off your wireless networking capabilities and inform your IT department as soon as possible.

Fortunately for me this was a temporary problem and it didn't seem to cause much damage, however, those popup screens were so annoying! My computer started getting slower and slower. What was worse is that I didn't have any anti-virus software on my Windows side of my machine. My Mac side was uncompromised but that didn't do my Windows side any good at all.

If you are looking for anti-virus software for your PC (or the PC-side of your Mac if you have a virtual setup), I'd recommend going to CNET's download.com website and looking up free anti-virus software for PC. If you're willing to pay for it, there are shareware programs there as well that are reasonable, or you can go full strength with name brands such as Norton, Symantec, McAfee and the like.

Here's hoping that you NEVER see the Green AV virus on your Windows machine... EVER!

Source:

Green AV Virus Removal - http://cantalktech.com/2009/08/04/green-av-removal