Privacy Center is a rogue security program – a fake application, which is supposed to take care of your privacy, but takes care of your money instead. This parasite typically enters the system by using the infamous trojan Zlob, which can be found in porn/warez websites disguised as a video codec. Privacy Center uses disinformation to trick the user into purchasing it’s “licensed version”, which is no more functional than the trial.
Once inside and active, Privacy Center will flood the user with popups and fake system notifications, supposedly to inform him of an information leak present on the system. While this may coincidentally be true, Privacy Center has neither the ability to provide such info, nor take care of the beforementioned leak. Much like any other rogue, Privacy Center will perform fake system scans, which produce greatly exaggerated results, further urging the user to pay money.
Privacy Center is not only a huge annoyance (the popups will drive you clinically insane), but also somewhat of a threat due to it’s habit of hijacking the browser and redirecting you to sites of dubious nature to say the least.
Privacy Center is a scam and should be treated as such: do NOT download or buy it and block it’s homepage using your HOSTS file.
Automatic Malware removal tools
(Win)
Note: Spyhunter trial provides detection of parasites and assists in their removal for free. limited trial available, Terms of use, Privacy Policy, Uninstall Instructions,
(Mac)
Note: Combo Cleaner trial provides detection of parasites and assists in their removal for free. limited trial available, Terms of use, Privacy Policy, Uninstall Instructions, Refund Policy ,
I seem to have this Privacy Centre trojan, but it seems illogical. I switched on the computer after a good close down the previous night, XP booted up, Background screen comes up the this privacy screen appears and just starts running a scan, then after a while a myriad of other windows appear that states not enough resoures to complete this task. Eventually it stops then just halts with the background on, then I cant do anything. I have also tried using Ctrl Halt Del to end the application which works but just reults in the background screen again. So I cant actually get into the system to do anything, like download a solution and run it. I can remove the hard drive and attach via USB to another computer, ie this one I am using, but is there a way to fix the problem then?
Many thanks for any help, but if this is just info for others, so be it, but its bit of a B*****
Cheers
I first went to msconfig and unchecked “agent” on the start up tab which is privacy center. That didn’t stop it but is slowed it down. I then did a search for “privacy center” found the program and erased it. I erased not deleted. I took that all the way down to spbho.dll. I did not erase that but instead moved it to my desktop. I didn’t erase it because I am cautious of .dll items. I have found spbho.TIEBHO in the register but under “classes” instead of microsoft/current version/run. I’m stuck now because I don’t know what to do about spbho.TIEBHO and I don’t see anything in microsoft/current version/run that seems to relate to it although agent shows it’s location as being there.
Any help out there would be appreciated.
I have the same problem as Mike L Davies, which is described above. So what is the answer? Thanks.
I had the box on my computer also after a close down the night before…It controlled my computer, even my start button was gone….It says to update license and i could not do anything else so I was suckered and put in my info, credit card to…Dumb move on my part, I was charged 79.90 the first time, then it says congratulations you have updated your license..But that was no help, nothing happened after that and I went to do it again and was charged 129.75, now I have this on my credit card and have to do a dispute to get it back…Be careful people…There was a little highlighted web address on there that said Microsoft.com, so i clicked on that and dug till i got a number to call and the man on the other end helped me get this off my computer….PLEASE WATCH FOR THIS…
I do recommend people to stay away from the Privacy Center site. When I had it, I couldn’t be able to get access to the windows files (located on the screen. It blocks the windows files. If you want it on your computer, you will need a credit card (for $59.98) People will waste money, when it won’t work, making it harder for people who are on low-income, who don’t use a credit card.
These sites like Privacy Center are very costly.
I had it on my computer for at least 3 days. It even freezes my computer.
On friday (May 8th), I downloaded a photo to use for a desktop background, and after that the privacy center disappeared, and I got the files back on my desktop, which is a relief…T H A N K Y O U !!!!
That helped me by saving money by calling a computer company, who would remove Privacy center from a computer, which is very expensive (between $100 to $200)
Companies like microsoft should remove Privacy Center from their websites, even block it.
hi my name is linda and I am writing to you due to the current of my computer..My computer was completely find not until I woke up the next morning and I put my computer on and as I enter my password to get in my desktop is black and I have knowing something so different which I saw privacy center. can you please help me send me some feed back on how to removal this spy ware off of my computer completely. PLEASE BE CAREFUL THIS CAN REALLY DESTORY YOUR COMPUTER….
Linda, we would recommend using spyware remover like Spyware Doctor or MalwareBytes anti-malware. Remember to try running them in safe mode (press F8 when booting your PC and select from menu) if launching normally fails.
A more experienced computer user could fix computer following manual instructions above.
Thanks Privacy Center for nearly ruining my computer! I DO NOT recommend this to anyone!
Privacy center popup has removed all icons and bottom toolbars, so I don’t know how to fight it. I can link to Mozilla but it won’t let me go get Spyware Doctor or anything else (Can’t link up). Started in safe mode – no good. Can I get Spyware Doctor at the store? I don’t think I can download to my pc. Please help.
J
@Linda
Linda,
I called microsoft.com found a number on there website and they helped me get it off of my computer…They said it was not part of there company.
I have the same problem as #1 (Mike Davis) and #4 (Lynn) above. I cannot get into my account as Privacy Center pops up when the window of my account opens and begins showing “cookie privacy guarder” which shows all the problems. When it get to 350 it stops and shows a bunch of overlapping boxes stating “not enough storage is available to process this command.” The screen is frozen. When the window is clicked it disappears showing my background screen, but no icons or anything. It’s necessary to unplug the computer, plug the power back cord back in the wall, start up the computer, open my account, and the Privacy Center pops up and begins counting all the problems until it freezes. How can I
use Spyware Doctor when I cannot even get into my account? I’m using my wife’s account to write this.
If you are using your wifes account on the same PC, you can perform FULL scan with SpywareDoctor. It should clean up files in your account as well. The good news Privacy Center infected only your user-space in this case, that is a bit easier infection.
Hello Admin!
I purchased Spyware Doctor this morning (Sunday, May 25). In short, I’m writing this from my user-space! Last night I did a full system scan with Norton; it dected 2 low level infections. I used my son’s user-space to conduct the full scan today. Spyware Doctor found 605 infections and 26 attacks. It worked perfectly!! Thank you so much for your site and message board. Incidently, earlier today I had scheduled an “on site diiagnosis” with Geek Squad which costs $129.99 which is applied toward the cost of whatever remedy they deem necessary. Spyware Doctor cost $29.95 for a year’s subscription, and it worked! Again, thanks so much!!
I got the privacy thing. I did a reboot, press f8, boot up into safe mode. Did a system restore and it was gone. Worked for me. good luck!
where can I buy spyware? I cannot download the free scanner because of privacy center , i do not have any icon and the start button, help I do I have to do/
Aida : you need to stop privacy center processes first using task manager (ctrl+alt+del, choose task manager), then restore desktop (right-click on desktop, choose properties) and then you can download removers.
Also, you should try booting in safe mode with networking (restart pc, press F8 while booting up) and try downloading remover then.
Thanks Alan, I got it. I do have same problem with the others with this privacy center. I just follow your instruction, then it goes back to normal. No need to purchase or install any spyware software. Thanks again.
My husband has a laptop, Acer aspire, and this privacy center has downloaded to his lapatop. it has taken over the whole computer, he can’t get on the internet, and doesn’t even have a start button? we tried to do restore but they say we need supervisor password? we tried everything and cannot get this off his computer, please help us!
Same problem as Stephanie, Privacy Center screen displays, but no Start button or task bar. Cannot get into any command line or Windows screen to run anti-spyware. Any thoughts? TIA!
press ctrl+shift+esc, try to locate its processes and stop them. THEN start explorer.exe and start menu should reapear.
i tried open safe mode but still it appear the privacy center screen…how i’m gonna delete it…? pls help me with detail instruction how to remove it….tq
hey! thank you for these information comp is up and running again. the only thing i could think of is to reinstall os. anyway if there is no taskbar, no desktop icon. hit CTRL+ALT+DEL choose taskmanager. go to processes stop or end processes as mention above(agent.exe,pc.exe,uninstall.exe,openvpn.exe,tapinstall.exe)
if desktop icons and taskbar won’t appear just go back to taskmanager go to newtask type explorer.exe click ok. you could also launch internet explorer by typing iexplore.exe. you could download good anti spyware/antimalware program at that point
I’m having the same problem as Mike L Davies also , this privacy center is ruining my laptop. please help