Nowadays, many programs promise internet users great deals only to deliver the opposite. This is a scare tactic used by many software developers to generate more income. However, not only do you get fooled by these good for nothing programs, but you also risk losing personal data, as well as financial loss due to a damaged computer system.
Driver Update Plus (DUP) is a potential unwanted program (PUP) that claims to effectively manage programs installed in your system by keeping related drivers updated. The program also advertises itself as a remarkable tool that can perform system backup, and PC restoration in case a devastating event happens. In a nutshell, the software is a simple computer optimizer that claims to have super-powers of turning your old, slow PC into a fast one. However, that is not true. Contrary to what it offers, installing this program will generate devastating results. Your computer can even become slower than before, and to make matters worse, you might face the risk of losing personal documents due to system vulnerabilities caused by this program.
What Can the Driver Update Plus Virus Do?
The way this tool functions is miraculous but in a bad way. Driver Update Plus presents itself in a magnificent façade, offering a trusted service that can detect multiple system issues and fix them by just pressing a button. However, truth be told, the program won’t do any of those, and can simply flash a blend of beautiful colors, imitating a futuristic powerful software.
To verify that this is a virus, if you install Driver Update Plus in a new computer with no issues at all, it will still pick up a host of errors that urgently need fixing, making you believe your system is in grave danger. This tactic is done to pursue the user into purchasing the premium version of the app, which in turn, will still do nothing but only create a $29.95 hole in your pocket. Although this may not look like much of a loss, why should you pay for something that might even damage your system operations? To top that, after making the payment, these scammers will now have your banking details, which means more vulnerabilities to your personal data.
Driver Update Plus does share information concerning Privacy Policy where they disclose their intent to collect data and possibly give it to third-party organizations. Here is an extract taken from their Privacy Policy:
“We may use your Personal Information for the performance of the services or transaction for which it was given, and in connection with other products, services, promotions, or contests we may offer, and our private, internal reporting for this site, and security assessments for this site.”
As you can see, this is not a program that you want to give access to your personal data, and that is the reason why it is considered to be a virus. To top that, the software features a command to AutoStart, allowing the software to launch when the system boots. The popularity of this program has grown, but most of the cybersecurity tools now flag it as malware due to increased complaints from users.
How Does Driver Update Plus Get into Your System?
There are two ways in which the program can be installed into your system:
- Fall for the catchy advertisement lines praising the tool and you install it
So, you are browsing the internet in search of a trustworthy tool that can speed up your PC or keep your drivers updated. During this time, you come across this well-praised software; in this case, Driver Update Plus. You fall for it and decide to try it. Once you complete its first scan, it charms you with a lengthy report, featuring many faults found on your system. At this point, you already believe in the tool as you have seen it work in front of your naked eyes. You now know it can fix the issues since it’s the one that detected them. However, there is a catch. For the problems to be fixed, you need to pay. Evidently, this is a well-thought-out scam that may seem helpful at first but may leave you with a great loss, if not careful.
- Through software bundles
This method is what planted the name PUP to Driver Update Plus. It is a technique used by Trojans, ransomware, and other virus developers to distribute malware. In this case, most of the users associate the appearance of Driver Update Plus with the installation of WPS Office. To explain this; it means the program was bundled into the setup wizard process to install as a supplementary default program without needing user’s consent. That’s why it is advisable to always use trusted distribution websites.
Driver Update Plus Removal Instructions
Removal of this malicious, ill-fated programs is quite simpler than you would think. You can remove it by heading over to the Control Panel, access Programs and Features, and then uninstall it. Here are the detailed instructions on how you can manually remove Driver Update Plus:
- For Windows 8 and above, press the Windows key > into the Search field, enter Control Panel. On older Windows systems, you can simply click on Start, and then select Control Panel.
- Click Programs and Features.
- Look for programs and features associated with the Driver Update Plus virus and uninstall all of them by clicking the Uninstall button located at the top of the list.
- Reboot the system and repeat the process to see if there are any programs you left behind.
However, for better results, we advise using a trusted anti-malware tool to remove the program and its related features fast and quick. Moreover, a trusted anti-malware ensures that there are no roots left behind and takes care of all related parasites at a go. Moreover, we advise choosing an anti-malware tool that offers real-time protection to prevent the return of driver Update Plus virus. With that said, keep your computer safe by relying on reputable, trusted software distributors.