How to Fix the Downloader Trojan
Trojan horses, or trojans, are malicious programs that are designed to execute certain undesirable processes in a computer. Trojan viruses are often hosted by spurious websites and infect computers by impersonating useful programs. The Trojan Downloader is an especially harmful pest because it weakens a computer's defenses, making it more susceptible to various other forms of malware, such as viruses, worms and spyware. Trojan Downloader also uses a keylogger to secretly record Internet activity, such as email and bank account passwords and credit card numbers. Trojan Downloader, along with other malware it downloads, then relays the stolen information to a remote hacker. If you are infected with Trojan Downloader, you should eliminate it from your system immediately.
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Instructions
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Download a proven anti-malware program to protect your computer from Trojan Downloader. Visit a reputable software hosting site such as Cnet Download, Tucows or Filehippo.com (see Resources) and choose a program based on scope of protection and feature set. Popular titles include Ad-Aware, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Spybot Search and Destroy, among others. Click "Download" and save the file to desktop.
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Install and update the program. Log in as administrator and double-click on the downloaded executable (.exe) file to begin installing. Confirm any warning messages generated by the operating system by clicking "Yes" or "OK" and follow simple prompts to walk through the installation process.
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Choose to create a desktop icon or a System Tray icon for ease of access. When the program is installed, locate the "Updates" option and download the latest virus definition file. This will automatically apply the updated virus database to the program.
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Scan for malware. Run a thorough full system scan to identify and eliminate threats. This process will clean your computer of all but the most potent malware. Review the scan report and apply the same action--"Remove," "Repair" or "Quarantine"--to all items in the list. Clear the "Recycle Bin" and restart the computer.
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Launch the Windows Task Manager when the operating system loads. Click "Start" and then "Run" to open the Run command box. Type "taskmgr" in the field and press "Enter." You may also press "Ctrl," "Alt" and "Del" keys at the same time and then select "Start Task Manager" to open the tool.
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Open the tab marked "Processes" on the Task Manager interface and delete each item in the list associated with Trojan Downloader. Scroll down and highlight the item and hit "Delete." Click to confirm any warning messages. Continue until all Trojan Downloader processes are terminated.
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Type "regedit" in the Run command box to open Windows Registry Editor. Notice the interface is vertically divided into a left pane and a right pane; use the left pane to select registry keys and use the right pane to view registry values for the selected key. Click "Edit" and then "Find." Type a Trojan Downloader registry key to search for. When located, right-click on the key, then select "Delete" under "Modify."
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Type "cmd" in the Run command box and hit "Enter." In the subsequent command prompt screen, type "cd," followed by a space, then the directory of the DLL file. Delete the file by typing "regsvr32 /u FileName." Replace the "FileName" part of the text input with the real name. Close the screen by typing "exit." Restart the computer.
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Scan your computer for malware using an online virus scanner. The report should not include any trace of Trojan Downloader.
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Tips & Warnings
Go to the "Spyware Remove" site included in the References section for a full list or processes, registry keys and DLL files associated with Trojan Downloader. Do not make changes to your registry without first backing it up.
Install a comprehensive security program and always keep it updated.
References
Resources
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