Today Colorado University issued a computer security alert warning of a fake antivirus threat. Their solution is the correct but untenable “don’t download anything you’re not sure is safe” and to install an IT approved antivirus solution.

Thanks for the warning CU, but I have been battling this Vista Total Security infection since last week on two family member’s Vista machines. Not only is the warning late, but one machine was infected despite a CU IT approved antivirus (Avast!), which the malware then silently and perfectly disabled.

You may have read my thoughts on the state of computer security a few years ago. I still absolutely believe that the only effective long-term solution is user education and responsibility for their own machines, but I must humbly reverse part of me previous position. I claimed that security solutions from the “big guys” will never work because they are too obvious a target for malicious coders to ignore and will always be compromised first and worst. Though I still maintain that for guys like Norton and McAfee, I respectfully exclude the surprisingly effective newcomer to antivirus solutions: Microsoft.

I used Avast!, the modern and supposedly advanced live updating “cloud” antivirus from Panda and Immunet, Spybot, Adaware, Spyware Doctor (which found 400+ “problems”, but none of them were the virus I was dealing with), Malwarebytes, and Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. Nothing found this infection. I followed the manual removal instructions, but still the issues persisted.

Then I tried Windows Security Essentials. 10 minute scan, it found only 3 issues (all of which looked related based upon their locations and naming convention), eliminated them, and the problems were solved.

All these well-respected security tools were worth nothing, and the often scoffed-at free offering from Microsoft perfectly and simply did what no one else did. To be safe I am reinstalling Windows on both these machines, but after I do so am am not installing any of these “reputable” antivirus again. From now on my own machine and those I maintain for family, Windows 7, the built in security, and Security Essentials will be all I use.