Recently, some computer system users have begun to notice the presence of an unknown Hacktool process in the system: Win32 / AutoKMS. What is it really, many do not even guess, considering the program a kind of activator. Alas, this process has nothing to do with the KMS utility.
Hacktool: Win32 / AutoKMS: what is it?
We make a reservation right away and irrevocably: do not confuse this threat with the well-known KMSAuto Net application (sometimes called Auto KMS Activator), which was developed by MSFree Inc. for quick registration of Microsoft software products. Of course, for its part, this utility is illegal, since it is able to generate keys for registering Windows or MS Office (this is ordinary computer piracy). But it can not be compared with Hacktool: Win32 / AutoKMS. What is it now and see.
In fact, this is a rather dangerous Trojan virus, which can cause a lot of trouble to the user. But determining its presence in the system is quite simple.
Hacktool: Win32 / AutoKMS (activator): the nature of the impact of the virus on the system and user data
This trojan acts like viruses, which are commonly called browser hijackers. As a rule, the first symptom of infection is a change in the start page in all web browsers installed in the system, constant redirection to unsafe or potentially dangerous sites, and the inability to use search engines like Google or Yahoo !.
But the damage to the system is not limited only to this. After penetration into the computer, implementation begins not only at the system level. Active reading of user data takes place, where preference is given to registration logins and passwords, which are stored in unencrypted form. Bank card and account holders may also be affected.
This is the Hacktool program: Win32 / AutoKMS. What is it: trojan, spy or thief? As it turns out, both one and the other and the third. By the way, the manifestation of activity can lead the user of the infected system to a website where it says that the user had viruses on the computer, the developer program deleted them, and Hacktool: Win32 / AutoKMS - the activator of the cured program - is the only way to restore the registration of the victim applications. An absolute lie!
Removal using a classic antivirus scanner
But let's deal with the issue of eliminating the threat. The first thing that comes to mind is the use of a portable or anti-virus scanner installed in the system . Unfortunately, this does not always help. For example, judging by user reviews, even the most advanced Dr. products The Web doesn’t find anything, and Microsoft Security Essential completely freezes.
In this case, you need to check the system is not yet loaded. And you can do this with disk programs like Kaspersky Rescue Disk, which run before Windows starts. They can be written to a regular flash drive or optical disc, and then set the boot priority for them in the BIOS settings.
Using narrowly targeted utilities
On the Internet, one can often find advice about the fact that Hacktool: Win32 / AutoKMS can only be removed using specially designed programs for this.
In most cases, it is suggested to use programs like YAC Anti-Malware Free and the like. One can still agree with this. But, when it is offered to download and install the Win32 / AutoKMS virus Removal Tool application, here you will think for sure. Some, of course, are being "led" to such tricks. And as a result, they get the SpyHunter installation, which, perhaps, will remove the virus (though only after full registration), but it will be very difficult to get rid of the program itself by an inexperienced user (it is almost impossible without special knowledge). So it’s better to do the manual removal of the threat, especially since it’s quite simple.
Manual threat removal
First of all, you should use the programs and components section in the standard “Control Panel”, loading the system in safe mode. Do not expect the virus to appear under its original name. Instead, sort the installed programs by date.
As a rule, several components will be shown here, which you need to get rid of. It:
- Search Snacks
- Search Protect
- HighliteApp;
- Fre_Ven_s Pro 23;
- FLV Player (remove only);
- PassShow;
- Coupon Server
- TidyNetwork
- V-bates 2.0.0.440;
- MyPC Backup
Keep in mind that MyPC Backup and FLV Player have nothing to do with official utilities. As already clear, all this must be removed immediately. After that, writing down the names of the components to be removed and the name of the virus itself, you need to enter the registry editor (regedit in the Run console) and use the search, followed by deleting everything found. If the aforementioned player was installed, and the user deletes the keys associated with it from the registry, it is better to do so. The player itself is free. Download it and reinstall it is not a problem.
But for the best effect, you can use the iObit Uninstaller program, which has a powerful scanning module in its arsenal of tools, the use of which will save the user from editing the registry and finding residual files on the hard drive. Only when deleting search results, you need to use the additional file destruction line .
In browsers, some active add-ons should be removed. In the case of Chrome, it's SupraSavings. Even in a seemingly protected product like Mozilla Firefox, this virus can also leave its mark. Here you need to pay attention to the UNiDealsa extension, which also needs to be uninstalled. In other browsers, removing extensions looks almost the same, only the appearance of partitions changes.
Varieties of the virus
This is the Hacktool virus: Win32 / AutoKMS. What is it, probably, it has already become clear. But this is not the only thing. We must be on the alert, as the threat itself can have several varieties, the most famous of which are the following: Hacktool Win32 / KeyGen, Suspicious_Gen4.ATNVF, Malware.Packer.Gen, HackKMS.C, Artemis! A0E4F5BCD5AF and others.