Home Malware Programs Rogue Anti-Spyware Programs Windows Oversight Center

Windows Oversight Center

Posted: May 7, 2011

ScreenshotWindows Oversight Center is a rogue application that's strongly interlinked with many differently-named identical twins, all of which use the fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert Trojan to infect new PCs. Instead of providing real security or protection for your computer, Windows Oversight Center will create false alerts that cause panic over imaginary threats. Other common problems associated with rogue programs like Windows Oversight Center include browser hijacks, dysfunctional security applications and unauthorized changes to system settings. Since Windows Oversight Center has no real oversight to give your computer, you should remove Windows Oversight Center by using a top-quality anti-malware application.

A Nice New Name for a Not-So-Nice Old Program

Windows Oversight Center is cloned from a wide-reaching family of rogue programs that are more or less identical in all their major attributes. Some samples of Windows Oversight Center's relatives include Windows Processes Organizer, Windows Problems Protector, Windows Lowlevel Solution, Windows Optimization Center, Windows Remedy and Windows Optimal Tool. Windows Oversight Center and its kin all use the fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert Trojan to attack new PCs.

The fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert will infect your computer by pretending to be a part of your native Windows security system. Using fake alerts like the ones below, the fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert Trojan may lure you into downloading Windows Oversight Center or another rogue threat:

Microsoft Security Essentials Alert
Potential Threat Details
Microsoft Security Essentials detected potential threats that might compromise your private or damage your computer. Your access to these items may be suspended until you take an action. Click 'show details' to learn more.

Threat prevention solution found
Security system analysis has revealed critical file system vulnerability caused by severe malware attacks.
Risk of system files infection:
The detected vulnerability may result in unauthorized access to private information and hard drive data with a serious possibility of irreversible data loss and unstable PC performance. To remove the malware please run a full system scan. Press 'OK' to install the software necessary to initiate system files check. To complete the installation process, please reboot your computer.

Once installation is finished, your PC will reboot to give Windows Oversight Center the chance to run automatically on startup.

The Consequences of Windows Oversight Center's Trojan Infiltration

Although Windows Oversight Center acts like a security program, its real actions will cause a variety of difficulties:

  • Windows Oversight Center may stop you from launching real security or diagnostic applications that could detect and remove threats like Windows Oversight Center or the fake Microsoft Security Essentials Alert Trojan. You may see a fake error similar to the one below while this happens:
    Warning!
    Name: [application file name]
    Name: [application file path]
    Application that seems to be a key-logger is detected. System information security is at risk. It is recommended to enable the security mode and run total System scanning.
  • You may also see a wide variety of other errors that pop up while Windows Oversight Center is active. These alerts may look official, but they're just scare tactics used to make you think that you need Windows Oversight Center to cure your problems. Here's an example of one of the many possible errors that Windows Oversight Center can show you:
    System Security Warning
    Attempt to modify register key entries is detected. Register entries analysis is recommended.
  • Your web browser may also be hijacked and forced to display inaccurate error screens or malicious content. Exposing your computer to malicious websites through browser hijacks may result in other infections attacking the PC.

All of these problems can be remedied, not by purchasing Windows Oversight Center, but by getting rid of it. The easiest and most fail-proof way of doing this is to reboot into Safe Mode. A full system scan with a good anti-malware program will delete Windows Oversight Center as well as the Trojan that slopped it onto your system.


ScreenshotScreenshotScreenshotScreenshotScreenshot

File System Modifications

  • The following files were created in the system:
    # File Name
    1 %AppData%\Microsoft\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe
    2 %Temp%\[RANDOM CHARACTERS]\
    3 %Temp%\[RANDOM CHARACTERS]\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe
    4 freevideopplugin.exe

Registry Modifications

  • The following newly produced Registry Values are:
    HKEY..\..\..\..{Subkeys}HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon Shell = "%AppData%\Microsoft\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\avastsvc.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\avastui.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\egui.exe | DebuggerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\ekrn.exe | DebuggerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\msascui.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\msmpeng.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\msseces.exe

Additional Information on Windows Oversight Center

  • The following messages's were detected:
    # Message
    1 Microsoft Security Essentials detected potential threats that might compromise your privacy or damage your computer. Your access to these items may be suspended until you take an action. Click 'Show details' to learn more.
    2 Microsoft Security Essentials Alert
    Threat prevention solution found
    System security parameters review has revealed critical security vulnerabilities that may compromise your system integrity.

    Risk of system files corruption: High

    The detected vulnerability may allow a remote attacker to gain access to private information or infiltrate system files and components. To prevent misuse please make sure your security parameters are configured correclty.
    Press 'OK' to install the necessary software and run full system scan.
    To complete the installation, please reboot your PC.

    3 Install Windows Oversight Center

    Windows Oversight Center setup will start automatically.
    System configuration analysis and registry files checkup will run after reboot.

Use SpyHunter to Detect and Remove PC Threats

If you are concerned that malware or PC threats similar to Windows Oversight Center may have infected your computer, we recommend you start an in-depth system scan with SpyHunter. SpyHunter is an advanced malware protection and remediation application that offers subscribers a comprehensive method for protecting PCs from malware, in addition to providing one-on-one technical support service.

* See Free Trial offer below. EULA and Privacy/Cookie Policy.

Why can't I open any program including SpyHunter? You may have a malware file running in memory that kills any programs that you try to launch on your PC. Tip: Download SpyHunter from a clean computer, copy it to a USB thumb drive, DVD or CD, then install it on the infected PC and run SpyHunter's malware scanner.

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