Unwanted software often piggy-backs on program downloads, delivered by software bundlers. These bundles, which you might have downloaded, can include software that you do not want, and some that are harmful. The bundled or “extra” software can perform actions on your device that run the gambit from unwanted to annoying to malicious. The threat that…
Tag: MSRT
MSRT September 2016 release feature: Prifou
As part of our ongoing effort to provide better malware protection, the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) release this September includes detections for: BrowserModifier:Win32/Prifou TrojanClicker:Win32/NightClick Trojan:Win32/Suweezy Trojan:Win32/Xadupi This blog discusses BrowserModifier:Win32/Prifou (Prifou). Windows Defender detects this threat because it limits your choice and control over your browser and operating system. The unwanted behaviors are detailed…
MSRT August 2016 release adds Neobar detection
As part of our ongoing effort to provide better malware protection, the August 2016 release of the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) includes detections for BrowserModifier: Win32/Neobar, unwanted software, and Win32/Rovnix, a trojan malware family. This blog discusses BrowserModifier:Win32/Neobar and its inclusion in MSRT supports our unwanted software family detections in Windows Defender, along…
MSRT July 2016 – Cerber ransomware
As part of our ongoing effort to provide better malware protection, the July 2016 release of the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) includes detection for Win32/Cerber, a prevalent ransomware family. The inclusion in MSRT complements our Cerber-specific family detections in Windows Defender, and our ransomware-dedicated cloud protection features. We started seeing Cerber in February…
Large Kovter digitally-signed malvertising campaign and MSRT cleanup release
Kovter is a malware family that is well known for being tricky to detect and remove because of its file-less design after infection. Users from United States are nearly exclusively being targeted, and infected PCs are used to perform click-fraud and install additional malware on your machine. Starting April 21, 2016, we observed a large…
MSRT April release features Bedep detection
As part of our ongoing effort to provide better malware protection, the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) release this April will include detections for: Win32/Bedep – Trojan family Win32/Upatre – Trojan family Ransom:MSIL/Samas – Ransomware family In this blog, we’ll focus on the Bedep family of trojans. The bothersome Bedep Win32/Bedep was first…
MSRT March 2016 – Vonteera
As part of our ongoing effort to provide better malware protection, the March release of the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) will include detections for Vonteera – a family of browser modifiers, and Fynloski – a family of backdoor trojans. In this blog, we’ll focus on the Vonteera family of browser modifiers. BrowserModifier:Win32/Vonteera We…
Microsoft assists law enforcement to help disrupt Dorkbot botnets
Law enforcement agencies from around the globe, aided by Microsoft security researchers, have today announced the disruption of one of the most widely distributed malware families – Win32/Dorkbot. This malware family has infected more than one million PCs in over 190 countries. Dorkbot spreads through USB flash drives, instant messaging programs, and social networks. It…
MSRT September 2015: Teerac
As part of our ongoing effort to provide better malware protection, the September release of the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) will include detection for the prevalent ransomware family Win32/Teerac. We first detected Teerac in early 2014. Since then, the family has joined Win32/Crowti and Win32/Tescrypt as one of the most prevalent ransomware families impacting…
MSRT January 2014 – Bladabindi
This month the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) includes a new malware family – MSIL/Bladabindi. An interesting part of this family is that the author made three versions of this RAT, written in VB.NET, VBS and AutoIt. The malware builder is also publically available for download. Because of this, there are many variants in this…