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Malwarebytes gets tougher on PUPs
PUP.Optional.PCVARK is Malwarebytes’ detection name for a large family of installers for potentially unwanted programs targeting both Windows and Mac systems.
The Windows installers for PUP.Optional.PCVARK usually start with a screen similar to this one:
PUP.Optional.PCVARK comes in many forms, but the majority are so-called system optimizers that try to convince users that their system has problems which their software can solve. But only if you buy the software. The programs often prominently display a helpdesk phone number. We have had reports of people that felt they had been scammed after calling these numbers.
Malwarebytes protects users from PUP.Optional.PCVARK by using real-time protection.
Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.PCVARK without further user interaction.
Should users wish to keep this program and exclude it from being detected in future scans, they can add the program to the exclusions list. Here’s how to do it.
If you want to allow the program to connect to the Internet, for example to fetch updates, also add an exclusion of the type Allow an application to connect to the internet and use the Browse button to select the file you wish to grant access.
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