Technical @ Updates

The Security Guard virus employs all the latest badware tools to wreak havoc on your computer and ruin your day. This fake antispyware from the crooks who made CleanUp Antivirus andSecurity Antivirus fills your computer with a bunch of useless junk and then tries to get you to pay to remove this same useless junk.

To make things worse, it shows endless Security Guard pop-ups and tries to scare you with phony system scans that “detect” a long list of mean-sounding viruses with names like “Virus.Win32.Faker.a.” Most of these are just recycled names from years-old viruses, and they probably haven’t been anywhere near your computer.

Ready to restore sanity to your hard drive? Here’s how to get rid of Security Guard for free.

(FY to the I: we earn a commish from Spyware Doctor. But we honestly dig the award-winning anti-badware — read our review.)

How to Remove Security Guard Manually

Before we get started, you should backup your system and your registry.

To remove Security Guard manually, you need to delete Security Guard files. Not sure how to delete Security Guard files? Click here, and I’ll show you. Otherwise, go ahead and…

Stop Security Guard processes:

Remove Security Guard registry values:

Remove Security Guard DLLs:

Delete Security Guard files:

Get rid of Security Guard folders:

Note: In any Security Guard files I mention above, “%UserProfile%” is a variable referring to your current user’s profile folder. If you’re using Windows NT/2000/XP/7, by default this is “C:\Documents and Settings\[CURRENT USER]” (e.g., “C:\Documents and Settings\JoeSmith”).

How Do You Remove Security Guard Files?

Need help figuring out how to delete Security Guard files? While you should only manually remove Security Guard files if you’re comfortable editing your system, you’ll find it’s fairly easy.

How to delete Security Guard files in Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7:

1. Click your Windows Start menu, and then click “Search.”
2. A speech bubble will pop up asking you, “What do you want to search for?” Click “All files and folders.”
3. Type a Security Guard file in the search box, and select “Local Hard Drives.”
4. Click “ Search.” Once the file is found, delete it.

How to stop Security Guard processes:

1. Click the Start menu, select Run.
2. Type taskmgr.exe into the the Run command box, and click “OK.” You can also launch the Task Manager by pressing keys CTRL + Shift + ESC.
3. Click Processes tab, and find Security Guard processes.
4. Once you’ve found the Security Guard processes, right-click them and select “End Process” to kill Security Guard.

How to remove Security Guard registry keys:

You should always backup your registry before you edit it.

1. Select your Windows menu “Start,” and click “Run.” An “Open” field will appear. Type “regedit ” and click “OK ” to open up your Registry Editor. In Windows 7, just type “regedit” into the “Search programs and files” box in the Windows start menu.
2. Registry Editor will open as a window with two panes: the left side lets you select various registry keys, and the right side displays the values of the registry key you select.
3. To find a Security Guard registry key, select “ Edit,” then select “ Find,” and in the search bar type any of Security Guard ‘s registry keys.
4. When the Security Guard registry key appears, to delete the Security Guard registry key, right-click it, and select “ Modify,” then select “Delete.”

How to delete Security Guard DLLs:

1. Open your Windows Start menu, and click “Run.” Type “cmd ” in Run, and click “OK.” In Windows 7, just type “regedit” into the “Search programs and files” box in the Windows start menu.
2. To change your current directory, type “cd” in the command box, press your “Space” key, and enter the full directory where the Security Guard DLL is located. If you’re not sure where the Security Guard DLL is located, enter “dir ” in the command box to display a directory’s contents. To go one directory back, type “cd .. ” in the command box and press “Enter.”
3. After you’ve located the Security Guard DLL, type “regsvr32 /u SampleDLLName.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 /u jl27script.dll”) and press your “Enter” key.

That’s it. If you want to restore any Security Guard DLL you removed, type “regsvr32 DLLJustDeleted.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 jl27script.dll”) into your command box, and press “Enter.”

Did Security Guard change your homepage?

1. Click Windows Start menu > Control Panel > Internet Options.
2. Under Home Page, select the General > Use Default.
3. Type in the URL you want as your home page (e.g., “http://www.homepage.com”).
4. Select Apply > OK.
5. Open a fresh web page and make sure that your new default home page pops up.

Security Guard Removal Tip

Is your computer acting funny after deleting any Security Guard files? I recommend Reimage, a utility that selectively reinstalls broken Windows files.

Also, you can save time finding Security Guard files, download Spyware Doctor and manually delete any Security Guard files it finds.

Understanding Security Guard

If you’re infected with Security Guard, you should know what you’re fighting. I’ll explain some definitions related to Security Guard.

Security Guard May Be Rogue Anti-Spyware

Rogue anti-spyware refers to anti-spyware/antivirus software of questionable value. Rogue anti-spyware may not be proven to protect your computer from spyware, may popup fake alerts or create many false positives about your PC being infected, or may use scare tactics to try to get you to purchase the application. Rogue anti-spyware software may be installed by a Trojan, come bundled with other software, or install itself through web browser security holes. While it is fairly rare, some rogue anti-spyware is created and distributed by known spyware or adware companies, and the rogue anti-spyware may install spyware or adware itself.

Often when you’re infected with rogue anti-spyware like Security Guard, you’ll see a false popup security alert like this:

Rogue Anti-Spyware Tactics

Typically, rogue anti-spyware such as Security Guard has one or more of the qualities listed below, which is why rogue anti-spyware is considered anti-spyware software of questionable value.

• False positives/fake alerts: Rogue anti-spyware may produce a large number of false positives or use fake alerts, noting that your computer is infected with spyware parasites or other threats that do not really exist.
• Copycat looks: Rogue anti-spyware may copy the look and feel of other legitimate or rogue anti-spyware applications. Often, rogue anti-spyware applications may appear as close clones of other rogue anti-spyware software.
• High pressure marketing: Rogue anti-spyware may use scare tactics or other aggressive advertising and marketing tactics to try to trick you into buying the rogue anti-spyware application. Often, rogue anti-spyware may produce false positives and fake alerts about your computer being infected.
• Poor detection/scan reporting: Rogue anti-spyware may produce poor reports when it scans your PC. For example, rogue anti-spyware may say your computer is infected 11 parasites, but not specify which spyware parasites or what type of parasites. Rogue anti-spyware may also report that your PC is infected with SafeAndClean, but not tell you which related files, DLLS, etc. were found on your computer.
• Weak scanning/detection: Rogue anti-spyware may not only poorly report on computer infection, but rogue antispyware may also poorly scan your PC. Rogue anti-spyware may skip over important folders and files of your computer that should be scanned to detect spyware.

Did Security Guard use these tactics to trick you into buying Security Guard?