How to uninstall / remove My Security Shield (Virus Removal Guide)
Posted on 07. Aug, 2010 by Mihai Andrici in Virus Removal Guides
My Security Shield is yet another rogue anti-spyware that has been spreading around the web in the past week. Although it might look like a legitimate anti-spyware, My Security Shield is in fact a virus, and you should try to remove it as soon as you notice its presence on your computer.
The My Security Shield virus gets on your computer if you fall a fake “your computer is infected” message shown by fake online virus scanners. Once the My Security Shield virus gets on your computer, it will be programmed to start automatically each time your Windows loads. Once My Security Shield is up and running, it will start scanning your computer for viruses. Please note that the results are fake (in fact, the files it detects as infections were created by the same Trojan that installed the My Security Shield rogue on your computer) and the only thing you need to do is remove the My Security Shield virus using our removal guide below.
How to uninstall / remove My Security Shield (Virus Removal Guide)
How to remove the My Security Shield virus
The My Security Shield virus might block your Internet connection. If that is the case, you will need to download the tools we are going to use for removing My Security Shield on a non-infected computer and then transfer them to the infected computer’s desktop using an USB drive or a CD/DVD.
The files we are going to need are:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – MBAM will scan your computer for any viruses and remove them
iExplore.exe – A great tool developed by Lawrence Abrams. It will stop the My Security Shield process (close it for good), so we can remove it.
Hosts Permission Fixer – The My Security Shield virus will make changes to your hosts file (that’s why you can’t use the Internet). This file makes sure you have the permission to restore the default HOSTS file for your windows version.
SuperAntiSpyware – This will be our secondary anti-spyware solution, just in case MBAM doesn’t work for you.
You don’t need all the hosts files, just the one for your Windows version:
Windows Vista Default HOSTS file
Windows 7 Hosts File – These are the default HOSTS files (the HOSTS file as they were when you first installed your Windows OS).
Remember to place all these files on the infected computer’s desktop.
Step 1. Run iExplore a bunch of times (even simultaneously) until the My Security Shield process is killed (meaning My Security Shield is no longer running). Don’t give up if it doesn’t work at first, it will eventually get the job done, even if it takes some while (just keep double clicking on it ).
Step 2. Now that the My Security Shield virus is gone for the moment, we need to remove it for good. For this, we will use the free edition of Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware. Run the setup and proceed with the default install settings, but remember to tell MBAM to automatically update itself). Once MBAM is up and running, go to the scanner tab, select “Perform full scan” and wait for MBAM to scan your computer for any traces of My Security Shield, as well as any other malware your computer might have.
Step 3. When the scan is done, select all the detected infections, and click the remove button. When this process is complete, you should have removed the My Security Shield virus, as well as the associated files.
Step 4. This is something I recommend in every virus removal guide. But use CCleaner to remove any temporary files (here is a tutorial on how to do that).
Step 5. Although the My Security Shield virus should be gone, this infection messes up your Windows Hosts file (this is why you probably cannot connect to the Internet). First we need to grant you back permission to change the HOSTS file. To do this, just run the Hosts Permission Fixer.
Step 6. Now place the HOSTS file corresponding to your Windows version in C:WindowsSystem32Driversetc. Just delete the existing HOSTS file and then place the default one (it should be on your desktop) in the same folder.
There you go. If everything went the way it was supposed to, you have successfully removed My Security Shield from your computer (as well as any other malware).
Related posts:
- How to uninstall / remove the Security Master AV Virus (Removal Guide)
- How to remove the My Security Engine Virus (Uninstall / Removal Guide)
- How To Uninstall / Remove Antivirus Virus (Virus Removal Guide)
- How to Remove the Internet Security 2010 Virus ( Virus Removal Guide )
- How To Remove/Uninstall Digital Protection Virus (Removal Guide)
84 Responses to “How to uninstall / remove My Security Shield (Virus Removal Guide)”
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Cecee
18. Dec, 2010
My version of this stupid virus wouldn’t let me run rkill or malwarebytes (although I could download and save). I tried the suggestion of leaving the error message up and opening it again, but when I did that, the program wouldn’t run at all. I rebooted into safe mode (by pressing the F8 key before the Windows screen comes up) and then it let me run rkill. I am doing the malware scan right now so I’m hoping now that I’m in safe mode, I’ll be able to get these programs to work. Thanks for all the advice and links.
Diane
20. Dec, 2010
Just wanted to say thanks for the help. I tried so many different “Helps”, but Mihai, your process was the one that ultimately worked. I was never able to open iExplore.exe no matter how many double clicks (so Security Shield didn’t disapper), but the Malware worked anyway. I should have tried it right away instead of thinking I had to follow the exact process. Along the way, I lost my Norton, because when I downloaded Spyware Doctor, it required uninstalling Norton. I didn’t wind up using Spyware Doctor anyway, because of the fee. Hope some of this helps others. I’m SO-o-o-o-o-o-o relieved to be rid of SS. Scary!
john
21. Dec, 2010
thanks a lot i remove that security shield virus thanks to the guidlines
mohammad islam
22. Dec, 2010
i tried this and i ran Rkill, and because of that my comp crashed, and i got the blue screen of death.
Denise Wirth
26. Dec, 2010
I tried everything you said but still can’t open the internet. I get a response saying could not create file mapping object 5
Andrew
26. Dec, 2010
WoW…it worked…very nice…many thanks…the iexplore works wonders…the best advice so far n easy to follow.
Logan
27. Dec, 2010
u r awesome man… thank u very much.. great job..
Per
27. Dec, 2010
Works great. Virus removed and internet restored
Keep up the good work – Greetings and a happy newyear.
iqqie
28. Dec, 2010
thanks very much.. this antivirus make me wanna blow up!! i hate them.. but, thanks to you.. i really make it away from my pc.. just last night i got 50 infections in my folder..
carl
28. Dec, 2010
Had shield virus and fixed it with your help, Thanks] Carl
Nikki
28. Dec, 2010
OMG! you guys are life savers ! that thing kept popping up anytime I clicked on anything & its finally gone thank you so much ! I appreciate it
daniel
29. Dec, 2010
THANK YOU!!!!!! Just got my new laptop and ended up with that crap. worked perfectly to remove it!!! appreciate it.
Thomas
29. Dec, 2010
Thank God for you!!!
Charamon
29. Dec, 2010
Superb, does what it says on the tin. Many thanks
fid890
29. Dec, 2010
tahnks so much guys, I`m so happy because this virus was really annoing me… ( Thks a lot ). The guide is really easy to understand
subhan
30. Dec, 2010
It worked for me in the first shot itself.
Thanks for the instructions on removing this.
Alyssa
31. Dec, 2010
God, thank you so much!!!!!!
Jeff
04. Jan, 2011
Worked to perfection! Thanks so much, great directions too.
Izudin
09. Jan, 2011
Thank you so much! Security Shield in my windows 7 it’s down. I used iExplore.exe and it worked great.
Thanks from Sweden
Luciano
03. Feb, 2011
It works! thank you very much!
Yvette
03. Feb, 2011
thank you sooo muchhhh…finally…for 3 days..i removed it..thanks for the help…
Mark
05. Feb, 2011
In Windows Vista, I removed the virus using the Admin user. When I returned to the original user of the infection the virus popped back up again. I’m back in the Admin user running MBAM. How do I remove the virus from the original user to prevent it from coming back?
beth
05. Feb, 2011
I’m not having internet prob. IExplore worked good. Running malware now. Should I continue with the other steps even though my internet is ok??? Macafee is giving me notice of removing trojans???
Sheena
06. Feb, 2011
Thank you so much!!! I removed the virus with ease!! (well not that much ease) But it’s gone
jamie
08. Feb, 2011
how long is the anti malaware scan supposed to take?
Gail
10. Feb, 2011
Awesome! Thank you so much. Great directions.
TM SMITH
11. Feb, 2011
PLEASE HELP! I am attempting to do all that youadvise above. this Security Shield virus got on my laptop last night, and by the time i gt someone to advise me, I ran my malware, my avast, and after they performed scans. I now can not run malware or even download the advisements you have above, this virus states that they are trojans, etc….PLEASE HELP……………
Slightly Perfect
12. Feb, 2011
We are so fortunate we have Tor running in Firefox. We were able, even with the internet effed up, to get the files located on this page. Worked! Thanks!
Erica
14. Feb, 2011
thank you so much!
Torino
14. Feb, 2011
Great & easy to follow directions. Used the iExplore.exe & the your recommended spyware. Cleaned the temp files too.
Thank you
By the way, somehow, I lost wnicapi.dll file, thus updates from windows can’t be installed. would you recommed a free down load site please?
Thanks in advance
Henry
16. Feb, 2011
WOW- iExplore quickly killed the Security Shield. Thanks for this posted sie