Wextract.exe
The real file Wextract.exe is a Microsoft Windows software component from Microsoft. Some malicious viruses masquerade as Wextract.exe, which is why you should check with an antivirus program to see if the Wextract.exe process is rooted in your computer system malfunctioning.
Wextract.exe is a Trojan horse infection, which could be caught from almost anywhere on the web. No matter how careful you are, there is always a chance of bumping into this threat, or other similar Trojans, which can heavily compromise your computer and your privacy. If you have recently detected this nasty malware on your machine, this is where you will find out how to remove it. On this page, we are going to talk about all the infection methods and typical traits that one should be aware of to better deal with a harmful script of this rank. At the end of this article you will also find a removal guide, which will help you remove Wextract.exe and delete all of its traces form your system. You don’t need any special skills to do that on your own, but we do recommend that you read the instructions carefully, as this will ensure that you will be able to detect and deal with the Trojan effectively.
Trojan horses – how they infect you
When it comes to Trojan horse infections, you should know that they are among the trickiest ones. Usually, a malicious script like Wextract.exe lurks in many web locations and the secret of its successful infection rate hides in its abilities to camouflage so well, that it is very hard for the users to detect it. Such threats can be found in spam emails, where the hackers may mask it as an almost legitimate looking attachment, or a link, or a special offer. It may appear that the email is coming from a reputed company or a friend, however, a malicious script may be hiding behind the well-masked content. Fake ads, compromised web pages, images, audio or video files – they all may be used as camouflaged transmitters of the Trojan horse infection and once the users happen to click on such content, they immediately get compromised. What is even worse, there are hardly any visible symptoms that may indicate that a contamination has happened, and it may take some time for users to realize that they really have a Trojan horse on their machine.
What damage may a Trojan cause your computer and your privacy?
If you have a Trojan like Wextract.exe or Altruistics on your computer, you should know that your system and your privacy are at risk. Thanks to the variable nature of the Trojan horse, its creators may use it for a number of harmful activities. One of the common consequences of having such infection on your PC is data corruption. At some point, you may notice that some important system files may start missing from your computer and this may cause some serious system disorder that may lead to severe system corruption or data loss.
Introducing a bunch of other viruses and harmful threats such as Ransomware on your machine is another thing that Wextract.exe may be used for. The hackers behind it may use it to gain access to your machine and secretly insert different viruses and Ransomware infections that can corrupt or encrypt your files. Then, they may blackmail you, spy on you, collect information about all your online and offline activities, steal your passwords and accounts, and violate your privacy in various criminal ways. With the help of the Trojan they may gain unauthorized access to your entire machine and turn it into a bot, or use it to spread spam and viruses. That’s why it is no question that you should immediately remove the threat from your computer.
How to remove the Trojan?
Removing a Trojan horse from your computer is as tricky as its nature is. You will need to find the right malicious files, because they are often hidden deep inside your OS among all the major system files. For that you may need a removal guide like the one below, which will help you navigate through the system files and detect the correct malicious ones. If you are not able to identify the threat, or you delete a wrong file, your system may be corrupted, that’s why we advise you to stick strictly to the instructions below.
Once you remove Wextract.exe, don’t forget to think about good protection for your PC. It is best if you avoid interaction with suspicious files, ads, links and generally sketchy content and proceed with caution every time you are installing new software on your computer. Investing in a reputed antivirus program is also a step towards better system protection. The regular virus definition updates and scans may help you detect threats like Wextract.exe and other nasty viruses on time, and minimize the risks of getting infected.
SUMMARY:
| Name | Wextract.exe |
| Type | Trojan |
| Danger Level | High (Trojans are often used as a backdoor for Ransomware) |
| Symptoms | High CPU usage, strange activity visible on the screen. |
| Distribution Method | Spam emails, almost legitimate looking attachments, misleading links or special offers, torrents, compromised websites. |
| Detection Tool |
Remove Wextract.exe Virus
Some of the steps will likely require you to exit the page. Bookmark it for later reference.
Reboot in Safe Mode (use this guide if you don’t know how to do it).
WARNING! READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING!
Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC at the same time and go to the Processes Tab. Try to determine which processes are dangerous.
Right click on each of them and select Open File Location. Then scan the files with our free online virus scanner:
After you open their folder, end the processes that are infected, then delete their folders.
Note: If you are sure something is part of the infection – delete it, even if the scanner doesn’t flag it. No anti-virus program can detect all infections.
Hold together the Start Key and R. Type appwiz.cpl –> OK.
You are now in the Control Panel. Look for suspicious entries. Uninstall it/them. If you see a screen like this when you click Uninstall, choose NO:
Type msconfig in the search field and hit enter. A window will pop-up:
Startup —> Uncheck entries that have “Unknown” as Manufacturer or otherwise look suspicious.
- Remember this step – if you have reason to believe a bigger threat (like ransomware) is on your PC, check everything here.
Hold the Start Key and R – copy + paste the following and click OK:
notepad %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/hosts
A new file will open. If you are hacked, there will be a bunch of other IPs connected to you at the bottom. Look at the image below:
If there are suspicious IPs below “Localhost” – write to us in the comments.
Type Regedit in the windows search field and press Enter.
Once inside, press CTRL and F together and type the virus’s Name. Right click and delete any entries you find with a similar name. If they don’t show up this way, go manually to these directories and delete/uninstall them:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER—-Software—–Random Directory. It could be any one of them – ask us if you can’t discern which ones are malicious.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER—-Software—Microsoft—-Windows—CurrentVersion—Run– Random
HKEY_CURRENT_USER—-Software—Microsoft—Internet Explorer—-Main—- Random
If the guide didn’t help you, download the anti-virus program we recommended or ask us in the comments for guidance!
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