Remove Protection Center
Protection Center is spyware that comes from the Your Protection Family, which makes sense because of how it works. Once the spyware has been downloaded onto your computer you will be faced with a bunch of annoying popups, as if popups alone aren’t bad enough now spyware programs are using them. The popups are being used to try and scare you into purchasing the Protection Center program, which is totally useless because it cannot effectively remove any kind of threat. The popups that you are going to see will include fake scan reports, fake security warnings, and fake system errors. No matter how scary things look there is no need to panic because all that is wrong with your computer is it is infected with the Protection Center spyware.
Automatic Protection Center removal:
Protection Center Remover
Warning! If the automatic remover is blocked by the spyware, then boot into Windows Safe Mode and try again. Learn how to boot into Safe Mode here.
Manual Protection Center removal:
Kill processes: cntprot.exe, Uninstall.exe
(Learn how to kill processes)
Unregister DLLs:
c:\Program Files\Protection Center\cntext.dll
c:\Program Files\Protection Center\cnthook.dll
(Learn how to unregister DLLs)
Delete registry keys:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{5E2121EE-0300-11D4-8D3B-444553540000}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\SimpleShlExt
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\secfile
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Malware Defense
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Protection Center
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Paladin Antivirus
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Protection Center
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\secfile
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Malware Defense
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Paladin Antivirus
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System "DisableTaskMgr" = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "Protection Center"
(Learn how to delete registry keys)
Delete files:
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\about.ico
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\activate.ico
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\buy.ico
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\cnt.db
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\cntprot.exe
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\help.ico
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\scan.ico
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\settings.ico
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\splash.mp3
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\Uninstall.exe
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\update.ico
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\virus.mp3
%UserProfile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Protection Center.lnk
%UserProfile%\Desktop\Protection Center Support.lnk
%UserProfile%\Desktop\Protection Center.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\About.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\Activate.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\Buy.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\Protection Center Support.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\Protection Center.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\Scan.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\Settings.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\Update.lnk
(Learn how to delete files)
Delete folders:
C:\Program Files\Protection Center\
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Protection Center\
Once you have removed Protection Center from your computer using either the automatic or manual method, make sure to block it and other malicious software using a HOSTS file. Please note that with the auomatic method, your computer should be protected from future spyware threats since you now have a spyware blocker program installed. We recommend downloading the HOSTS file from here, which contains a complete, up-to-date list of malicious websites especially if you used the manual method.
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