Wextract.exe Virus

*7-day Free Trial w/Credit card, no charge upfront or if you cancel up to 2 days before expiration; Subscription price varies per region w/ auto renewal unless you timely cancel; notification before you are billed; 30-day money-back guarantee; Read full terms and more information about free remover.

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

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:

NameWextract.exe
TypeTrojan
Danger Level High (Trojans are often used as a backdoor for Ransomware)
Symptoms High CPU usage, strange activity visible on the screen.
Distribution MethodSpam emails, almost legitimate looking attachments, misleading links or special offers, torrents, compromised websites.
Detection Tool

anti-malware offerOFFER *Read more details in the first ad on this page, EULA, Privacy Policy, and full terms for Free Remover.

Remove Wextract.exe Virus


Step1

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).

Step2

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. 

malware-start-taskbar

Right click on each of them and select Open File Location. Then scan the files with our free online virus scanner:

Each file will be scanned with up to 64 antivirus programs to ensure maximum accuracy
This scanner is free and will always remain free for our website's users.
This file is not matched with any known malware in the database. You can either do a full real-time scan of the file or skip it to upload a new file. Doing a full scan with 64 antivirus programs can take up to 3-4 minutes per file.
Drag and Drop File Here To Scan
Drag and Drop File Here To Scan
Loading
Analyzing 0 s
Each file will be scanned with up to 64 antivirus programs to ensure maximum accuracy
    This scanner is based on VirusTotal's API. By submitting data to it, you agree to their Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, and to the sharing of your sample submission with the security community. Please do not submit files with personal information if you do not want them to be shared.

    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. 

    Step3

     

    Hold together the Start Key and R. Type appwiz.cpl –> OK.

    appwiz

     

    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:

    virus-removal1

     

    Step4

     

    Type msconfig in the search field and hit enter. A window will pop-up:

    msconfig_opt

     

    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:

    hosts_opt (1)

     

    If there are suspicious IPs below “Localhost” – write to us in the comments.

    Step5

     

    To remove parasite on your own, you may have to meddle with system files and registries. If you were to do this, you need to be extremely careful, because you may damage your system.

    If you want to avoid the risk, we recommend downloading SpyHunter
    a professional malware removal tool.

    More information on SpyHunter, steps to uninstallEULAThreat Assessment Criteria, and Privacy Policy.

    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!


    About the author

    Lidia Howler

    Lidia is a web content creator with years of experience in the cyber-security sector. She helps readers with articles on malware removal and online security. Her strive for simplicity and well-researched information provides users with easy-to-follow It-related tips and step-by-step tutorials.

    Leave a Comment

    We are here to help! Use SpyHunter to remove malware in under 15 minutes.

    Not Your OS? Download for Windows® and Mac®.

    * See Free Trial offer details and alternative Free offer here.

    ** SpyHunter Pro receives additional removal definitions and manual fixes through its HelpDesk in cases where they are needed.

    Spyware Helpdesk 1