MICROSOFT

Windows Defender will remove cleaning and optimization programs "scary"

The Redmond giant considers abusive alerts from some software that exaggerate the risks in the consumer's operating system and that the only way to fix the problem is by paying for the Pro version.
So from next month, Windows 10's antivirus, Windows Defender, and other Microsoft security solutions will classify these programs as "unwanted software" and will remove the so-called scareware.
According to a company statement, the new evaluation criteria determine that programs should not display alarming or coercive messages or misleading content to press the use to pay for additional services or perform superfluous actions.

They further specify that scareware, which is one of the top five forms of cyber-attacking gamers, can have several features:

1-reporting errors in an exaggerated or alarming way about the user's system, requiring that the user pay to correct them;
2-suggest that it is the only way to solve the reported problems;
3-instigate the consumer to act in a limited period of time to solve the alleged problem.

"Consumer protection is our priority. We've adjusted, expanded, and updated our assessment criteria based on user feedback to capture the latest developments in unwanted software and other threats, "said a member of the Windows Defender Security Research team.

Sapo