What is Microsoft Security Essentials Alert? And how does it function?

Microsoft Security Essentials Alert, also known as Hicurdismos, is a new tech support scam used to mislead users by generating a bogus warning message claiming that users have to install Microsoft Security Essentials. This bogus alert is displayed on malicious domains. When you get redirected to such domains, you’ll see the following fake alert on your screen:
“Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We’re just collecting some error info, and then we’ll restart for you. (0% complete)
If you’d like to know more you can search online later for this error HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED
If you’d like to resolve this issue over the phone you can call our support at 1-800-418-4202”
As Microsoft Security Essentials have other variants, you might see a different message that states:
“Microsoft Security Essentials Alert
Your system has been blocked for security reason.
Microsoft Security Essentials detected potential threats! Your system has reached the critical security level, because of visiting sites with infected and pornographic contents. Its further use may lead to the system collapse and complete loss of information. To restore Your Windows system performance, you need to download and install an additional module of the dynamic proactive protection. This module is an optional paid update for, especially infected Windows systems. It eliminates the causes of system slowdown, associated with the presence of difficult-found malicious software, prevents the system crash and stabilizes its operation.”
Note that the legitimate Microsoft Security Essentials is already replaced by Windows Defender, in both Windows 8 and 10 so there really is no need for you to install this program, especially not if it came from an unknown source like this tech support scam.
How does Microsoft Security Essentials Alert circulate the web?
If you keep seeing the Microsoft Security Essentials Alert on a regular basis, this only means that some ad-supported program is causing such redirects. Adware programs are known to trigger all kinds of alerts, tech support scams, included. So you have to double check all the programs installed in your system and look for the ones that look suspicious or the ones that you don’t remember ever installing. This is the only way to completely get rid of the tech support scam.
Erase the Microsoft Security Essentials Alert by following the detailed instructions laid out below.
Step 1: Tap F11 to exit if your browser is forced into full-screen mode due to the Microsoft Security Essentials Alert.
Step 2: After that, try to close the browser manually. If you find it hard to do so, close the browser through the Task Manager.
Step 3: Tap the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to launch the Task Manager.
Step 4: After opening the Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and look for the affected browser’s process and end it by clicking End Task or End Process.

Step 5: Close the Task Manager and reset all the affected browsers to default.
Internet Explorer

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Tap Alt + T and select Internet options.
3. Click the General tab and then overwrite the URL under the homepage section.
4. Click OK to save the changes.
5. Now switch to the Advanced tab and click the Reset button.
6. Then check the box for “Delete personal settings” and then click Reset again.

Google Chrome

1. Launch Google Chrome, press Alt + F, move to More tools, and click Extensions.
2. Look for any other unwanted add-ons, click the Recycle Bin button, and choose Remove.
3. Restart Google Chrome, then tap Alt + F, and select Settings.
4. Navigate to the On Startup section at the bottom.
5. Click on Advanced.
6. After that, click the Reset button to reset Google Chrome.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open the browser and tap Ctrl + Shift + A to access the Add-ons Manager.
2. In the Extensions menu Remove the unwanted extension.
3. Restart the browser and tap keys Alt + T.
4. Select Options and then move to the General menu.
5. Overwrite the URL in the Home Page section.
6. Tap Alt + H to access Help.
7. Next, select “Troubleshooting information” and click “Refresh Firefox” at the top of the page.
8. Now click “Refresh Firefox” again to confirm the reset.

Step 6: After resetting your browsers, it’s now time to edit your Hosts File.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open then type in %WinDir% and then click OK.
• Go to System32/drivers/etc.
• Open the host’s file using Notepad.
• Delete all the entries created by the adware program.
• After that, save the changes you’ve made and close the file.

Step 7: Tap the Win + R keys to open Run and then type in appwiz.cpl to open Control Panel to uninstall the adware program behind the fake alert.
Step 8: Look for the adware program or any unfamiliar program under the list of installed programs and once you’ve found it, uninstall it.

Step 9: Close the Control Panel and tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.
Step 10: Navigate to the following directories and look for the adware installer like the software bundle it came with as well as other suspicious files and delete them.

• %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
• %USERPROFILE%\Desktop
• %TEMP%

Step 11: Close the File Explorer.
Step 12: Empty the contents of Recycle Bin.
To make sure Microsoft Security Essentials Alert is completely eliminated as well as the adware program behind it, you need to use an efficient program like [product-name]. To use it, follow the advanced steps below:
Perform a full system scan using [product-code]. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Turn on your computer. If it’s already on, you have to reboot
2. After that, the BIOS screen will be displayed, but if Windows pops up instead, reboot your computer and try again. Once you’re on the BIOS screen, repeat pressing F8, by doing so the Advanced Option shows up.

3. To navigate the Advanced Option use the arrow keys and select Safe Mode with Networking then hit
4. Windows will now load the SafeMode with Networking.
5. Press and hold both R key and Windows key.

6. If done correctly, the Windows Run Box will show up.
7. Type in the URL address, [product-url] in the Run dialog box and then tap Enter or click OK.
8. After that, it will download the program. Wait for the download to finish and then open the launcher to install the program.
9. Once the installation process is completed, run [product-code] to perform a full system scan.

10. After the scan is completed click the “Fix, Clean & Optimize Now”button.