OFFERRobust Optimizer
Robust Optimizer is a devastating piece of malware that was recently reported by a number of cyber security researchers. This nasty virus is a Trojan Horse and it can silently sneak inside any computer so long as user of the machine gets tricked into interacting in some way with a piece of content that carries the infection. The potential carriers of such threats can be many. The cyber criminals who use Trojans are highly creative in their methods of spreading their nefarious programs. Some popular techniques used for the distribution of infections similar to Robust Optimizer are the use of pirated software, illegal sites, fake web ads, fake “you won a prize” banner or some other form of malvertising.
What is Robust Optimizer?
Spam web messages are another very widespread and very commonly used technique for exposing more and more users to threats of the Trojan Horse category. In most cases, the Robust Optimizer malicious program would be put inside the spam e-mail as an attached file that the user is tricked into opening and/or downloading on their computer. Once the said file gets opened, the infection starts and the computer is no longer safe. However, as far as the potential symptoms are concerned, you may not notice anything if Robust Optimizer or another similar Trojan attacks you. Some such infections tend to act more aggressively and may cause the computer to experience frequent freezes and BSOD crashes as well as random errors.
Is Robust Optimizer a Virus?
This may sometimes draw the user’s attention to a potential Trojan Horse infection. There, however, are no guarantees that this would happen in your case. In most cases, if a Trojan, like Robust Optimizer is supposed to stay hidden and remain unnoticed for an extended period of time, it would most likely be able to do so. Still, since you are here, reading this article, you have probably noticed some odd and unusual activity by Robust Optimizer in your system which is what brought you here. In this case, we advise you to follow the next steps to remove Robust Optimizer in case it really has managed to infect your computer.
Robust Optimizer Virus
We already mentioned some of the methods that viruses like Robust Optimizer or Robust Operator can get to you but you need to bear in mind that the full list of possible distribution channels used for the Robust Optimizer virus goes on and on and we can’t cover it all in such a short article. The important thing is to always stay vigilant while using your browser – should you notice any sketchy piece of content like a suspicious ad, page, site or message, close it immediately and stay away from anything related to it.
RobustOptimizer
RobustOptimizer, a notorious Trojan horse virus, employs deceptive distribution methods to infiltrate systems. It often spreads through malicious email attachments, software downloads from untrustworthy sources, or compromised websites. Once installed, RobustOptimizer or RobustOperator can execute a range of malicious actions, including espionage, ransomware distribution, and data corruption. Its versatility and advanced capabilities make it a significant security risk, threatening both system integrity and personal data security. To mitigate the risks posed by such PUP, users should exercise caution when downloading files or clicking on links, regularly update their antivirus software, and utilize firewalls and other security measures. Promptly removing any suspicious files or programs can help prevent RobustOptimizer from completing its malicious tasks and safeguarding the system against further harm.
SUMMARY:
Robust Optimizer Removal
To try and remove Robust Optimizer quickly you can try this:
- Go to your browser’s settings and select More Tools (or Add-ons, depending on your browser).
- Then click on the Extensions tab.
- Look for the Robust Optimizer extension (as well as any other unfamiliar ones).
- Remove Robust Optimizer by clicking on the Trash Bin icon next to its name.
- Confirm and get rid of Robust Optimizer and any other suspicious items.
If this does not work as described please follow our more detailed Robust Optimizer removal guide below.
If you have a Windows virus, continue with the guide below.
If you have a Mac virus, please use our How to remove Ads on Mac guide.
If you have an Android virus, please use our Android Malware Removal guide.
If you have an iPhone virus, please use our iPhone Virus Removal guide.
Some of the steps may require you to exit the page. Bookmark it for later reference.
Next, Reboot in Safe Mode (use this guide if you don’t know how to do it).
Uninstall the Robust Optimizer app and kill its processes
The first thing you must try to do is look for any sketchy installs on your computer and uninstall anything you think may come from Robust Optimizer. After that, you’ll also need to get rid of any processes that may be related to the unwanted app by searching for them in the Task Manager.
Note that sometimes an app, especially a rogue one, may ask you to install something else or keep some of its data (such as settings files) on your PC – never agree to that when trying to delete a potentially rogue software. You need to make sure that everything is removed from your PC to get rid of the malware. Also, if you aren’t allowed to go through with the uninstallation, proceed with the guide, and try again after you’ve completed everything else.
- Uninstalling the rogue app
- Killing any rogue processes
Type Apps & Features in the Start Menu, open the first result, sort the list of apps by date, and look for suspicious recently installed entries.
Click on anything you think could be linked to Robust Optimizer, then select uninstall, and follow the prompts to delete the app.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, click More Details (if it’s not already clicked), and look for suspicious entries that may be linked to Trojan Robust Optimizer.
If you come across a questionable process, right-click it, click Open File Location, scan the files with the free online malware scanner shown below, and then delete anything that gets flagged as a threat.
After that, if the rogue process is still visible in the Task Manager, right-click it again and select End Process.
Undo Robust Optimizer changes made to different system settings
It’s possible that Robust Optimizer has affected various parts of your system, making changes to their settings. This can enable the malware to stay on the computer or automatically reinstall itself after you’ve seemingly deleted it. Therefore, you need to check the following elements by going to the Start Menu, searching for them, and pressing Enter to open them and to see if anything has been changed there without your approval. Then you must undo any unwanted changes made to these settings in the way shown below:
- DNS
- Hosts
- Startup
- Task
Scheduler - Services
- Registry
Type in Start Menu: View network connections
Right-click on your primary network, go to Properties, and do this:
Type in Start Menu: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
Type in the Start Menu: Startup apps
Type in the Start Menu: Task Scheduler
Type in the Start Menu: Services
Type in the Start Menu: Registry Editor
Press Ctrl + F to open the search window
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