Part 1: Symptom of Desktop Security 2010

Part 2: Manual and automatical removal guide

Part 3: Solution of infection by a new variant

Desktop Security 2010 is a rogue antispyware program. It belongs to a rogue program family, all variants of this rogue program family is listed below: they use the same method to infect your computer.

• Security essentials 2010
• Desktop Security 2010
• Security Tool 2010

1. Once infected by one of above variant, two processes will appear in task manager:

2. A folder "Desktop Security 2010" is created in %ApplicationData% folder, the %ApplicationData" folder is :
For Windows XP : C:\Documents and Settings\%User Name%\Application Data
For Windows Vista/7 : C:\Users\%User Name%\AppData\Roaming
Note : %User Name% is the name you login.

3. The following entries will be added in registry so that the malware can be launched automatically every time when Windows is restarted.
Entries added in registry by Desktop Security 2010 :

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\Desktop Security 2010:
C:\Documents and settings\%User Name%\Application Data\Desktop Security 2010\Desktop Security 2010.exe

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\SecurityCenter:
C:\Documents and settings\%User Name%\Application Data\Desktop Security 2010\SecurityCenter.exe

4. Once the malware is active, it will scan your computer and report numerous of infections, if you want to remove those infections, you are told to buy this malware. Actually all the infection items reported by this malware are fake, you should not buy it but should remove it as soon as possible.

Screenshots of Desktop Security 2010

Manual removal instructions (You need to know how to use registry application "regedit")

Step 1: Terminate "Desktop Security 2010" processes

Step 2: Delete "Desktop Security 2010" folder

Step 3: Delete registry entries added by "Desktop Security 2010"

Now all active objects of Desktop Security 2010 are removed, you still need to run some antispyware programs to scan and clean up your computer for other malware that may exist in your system.

Automatical Removal instructions

Several antispyware programs can completely remove this malware:

MalwareBytes:
MalwareBytes is an excellent antispyware program, The company of MalwareBytes provides a free version for personal user.
Download and install MalwareBytes Anti-malware (MBAM).

Main interface of MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware

AVG Antivirus:
AVG Antivirus is another well-known antivirus protection tool. The AVG Free Edition is available free of charge to home users for the life of the product.

Download and install AVG Free Edition

Main interface of AVG

If you followed the steps above but still get this malware or some objects are denied to delete, your computer possibly gets infected by a new variant or there is some hidden objects that have not been detected. We provide a free diagnostic scan tool ("TheStubware") to scan your computer and generate a scan log file for analysis. This tool is especially used to find those stubborn malware. You can submit your log file to support@TheStubware.com, we will analyze it and send you back a removal script file to remove the new variant or hidden objects found in your log file.

Download and install TheStubware