How to remove System Care Antivirus virus (Removal Guide)

System Care Antivirus  is a computer virus (Rogue.WinWebSec), which pretends to be a legitimate security program and claims that malware has been detected on your computer. If you try to remove these infections, System Care Antivirus will state that you need to buy its full version before being able to do so.

System Care Antivirus targets users browsing Internet websites, and rely on social engineering to deliver its payload. This infection is promoted through web sites that have been hacked with scripts that try to install the software by exploiting vulnerabilities on your computer. It is also promoted through Trojans that pretend to be legitimate programs that are required to view an online video, but instead install the infection.

Once installed, System Care Antivirus will display fake security alerts that are designed to think that your data is at risk or that your computer is severely infected.These messages may include:

Security Monitor: WARNING!
Attention! System detected a potential hazard (TrojanSPM/LX) on your computer that may infect executable files. Your private information and PC safety is at risk.
To get rid of unwanted spyware and keep your computer safe your need to update your current security software.
Click Yes to download official intrusion detection system (IDS software).

Spyware.IEMonster activity detected. This is spyware that attempts to steal passwords from Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Outlook and other programs.
Click here to remove it immediately with System Care Antivirus.

System Care Antivirus Firewall Alert
System Care Antivirus Firewall has blocked a program from accessing the Internet.
Internet Explorer Internet Browser is infected with worm SVCHOST.Stealth.Keyloger. This worm is trying to send your credit card details using Internet Explorer Internet Browser to connect to remote host.

System Care Antivirus Warning
Your PC is still infected with dangerous viruses. Activate antivirus protection to prevent data loss and avoid theft of your credit card details.
Click here to activate protection.

System Care Antivirus Warning
Your PC is still infected with dangerous viruses. Activate antivirus protection to prevent data loss and avoid theft of your credit card details.

Warning: Your computer is infected
Detected spyware infection!
Click this message to install the last update of security software…

System Care Antivirus Warning
Intercepting programs that may compromise your privacy and harm your system have been detected on your PC.
Click here to remove them immediately with System Care Antivirus.

In reality, none of the reported issues are real, and are only used to scare you into buying System Care Antivirus and stealing your personal financial information.

As part of its self-defense mechanism, System Care Antivirus has disabled the Windows system utilities, including the Windows  Task Manager and Registry Editor, and will block you from running certain programs that could lead to its removal.
This rogue antivirus has also modified your Windows files associations, and now whenever you are trying to open a program, System Care Antivirus will block this operation and display a bogus notification in which will report that the file is infected.

Warning!
Application cannot be executed. The file taskmgr.exe infected.
Please activate your antivirus software.

If your computer is infected with System Care Antivirus virus, then you are seeing the following screens:

System Care Antivirus is a scam, and you should ignore any alerts that this malicious software might generate.
Under no circumstance should you buy System Care Antivirus as this could lead to identity theft, and if you have, you should contact your bank and dispute the charge stating that the program is a scam and a computer virus.

Registration codes for System Care Antivirus
As an optional step,you can use any of the following license keys to register System Care Antivirus and stop the fake alerts.
System Care Antivirus Activation code: AA39754E-715219CE
Please keep in mind that entering the above registration code will NOT remove System Care Antivirus from your computer , instead it will just stop the fake alerts so that you’ll be able to complete our removal guide more easily.

System Care Antivirus – Virus Removal Guide

This page is a comprehensive guide, which will remove the System Care Antivirus infection from your your computer. Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubt at any point, STOP and ask for our assistance.
STEP 1: Start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking
STEP 2: Remove System Care Antivirus virus with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free
STEP 3: Remove System Care Antivirus rootkit with RogueKiller
STEP 4:  Remove System Care Antivirus infection with HitmanPro

STEP 1 : Start your computer in Safe Mode with Networking

1. Remove all floppy disks, CDs, and DVDs from your computer, and then restart your computer.
2. When the computer starts you will see your computer’s hardware being listed. When you see this information start to gently tap the F8 key repeatedly until you are presented with the Windows XP, Vista or 7 Advanced Boot Options.
   
   If you are using Windows 8, press the Windows key + C, and then click Settings. Click Power, hold down Shift on your keyboard and click Restart, then click on Troubleshoot and select Advanced options. In the Advanced Options screen, select Startup Settings, then click on Restart.
3. If you are using Windows XP, Vista or 7 in the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Networking , and then press ENTER.
   \
   If you are using Windows 8, press 5  on your keyboard to Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
   Windows will start in Safe Mode with Networking.

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STEP 2: Remove System Care Antivirus virus with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware FREE

The Malwarebytes Chameleon utility will allow us to install and run a scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free without being blocked by System Care Antivirus.

1. Right click on your browser icon, and select Run As or Run as Administrator. This should allow your browser to open so that we can then download Malwarebytes Chameleon.
   
   If you’ll see a “Warning! The site you are trying visit may harm your computer!” message in your web browser window, you can safely click on the Ignore warnings and visit that site in the current state (not recommended) link, because this a bogus alert from System Care Antivirus.
2. Download Malwarebytes Chameleon  from the below link, and extract it to a folder in a convenient location.
   Download Malwarebytes ChameleonOpens the download page in a new tab.
   
3. Make certain that your infected computer is connected to the internet and then open the Malwarebytes Chameleon folder, and double-click on the svchost.exe file.
   
   IF Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will not start, double-click on the other renamed files until you find one will work, which will be indicated by a black DOS/command prompt window.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions to press a key to continue and Chameleon will proceed to download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for you.
   
5. Once it has done this, it will update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and you’ll need to click OK when it says that the database was updated successfully.
   
6. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now attempt to kill all the malicious process associated with System Care Antivirus.Please keep in mind that this process can take up to 10 minutes, so please be patient.
   
7. Next, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will automatically open and perform a Quick scan for System Care Antivirus malicious files as shown below.
   
8. Upon completion of the scan, click on Show Result
   
9. You will now be presented with a screen showing you the malware infections that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware has detected.
   Make sure that everything is Checked (ticked),then click on the Remove Selected button.
   
10. After your computer will start in Windows regular mode, open Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and perform a Full System scan to verify that there are no remaining threats

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STEP 3: Remove System Care Antivirus rootkit with RogueKiller

RogueKiller is a utility that will scan for the System Care Antivirus rootkit, registry keys and any other malicious files on your computer.

1. You can download the latest official version of RogueKiller from the below link.
   Download RogueKillerOpens the download page in a new tab.
2. Double click on RogueKiller.exe to start this utility and then wait for the Prescan to complete.This should take only a few seconds,  then click on the Scan button to perform a system scan.
   
3. After the scan has completed, press the Delete button to remove System Care Antivirus malicious registry keys or files.
   

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STEP 4: Remove System Care Antivirus infection with HitmanPro

HitmanPro is a cloud on-demand scanner, which will scan your computer with 5 antivirus engines (Emsisoft, Bitdefender, Dr. Web, G-Data and Ikarus) for the System Care Antivirus infection.

1. You can download HitmanPro from the below link:
   Download HitmanProOfficial Sophos download. Free scan, free 30-day trial to remove threats.
2. Double-click on the file named HitmanPro.exe (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or HitmanPro_x64.exe (for 64-bit versions of Windows). When the program starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below.
   
   Click on the Next button, to install HitmanPro on your computer.
   
3. HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for System Care Antivirus trojan.
   
4. When it has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found as shown in the image below. Click on the Next button, to remove System Care Antivirus virus.
   
5. Click on the Activate free license button to begin the free 30 days trial, and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
   

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Your computer should now be free of the System Care Antivirus infection. If your current anti-virus solution let this infection through, you may want to consider purchasing the PRO version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future, and perform regular computer scans with HitmanPro.
If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove System Care Antivirus from your machine, please start a new thread in our Malware Removal Assistance forum.