AppRisk:Generisk False Positive Threat Detection

AppRisk:Generisk is a common false positive that may get detected on Android files (APKs).

By Andy Mulholland - Malware Researcher 4 Min Read

AppRisk:Generisk is a term used by the antivirus engine Symantec Mobile Insight to identify potential threats that share similar characteristics and behaviors.

Android files containing malware and malicious payloads are often called threat names by antivirus engines.

Symantec Mobile Insight is an antimalware engine that is specifically tailored for mobile devices. If you've ever uploaded a file to VirusTotal, you might have encountered this detection name.

It is very common for the mentioned detection to result in a false positive since AppRisk:Generisk has been found in different types of files, even ones that are usually considered harmless.

Antivirus threat detection in general

Antivirus software relies on vast databases that house signatures and patterns for different types of harmful software, including viruses, malware, ransomware, trojans, adware, and other potentially dangerous programs that are frequently encountered.

Antivirus software often makes use of these datasets. To effectively identify and eliminate malware from a computer, a thorough scan must be conducted and compared with a comprehensive database of distinctive signatures or identifiers associated with malicious software.

If an antivirus program detects a file or application on a user's computer that matches a signature in its database, it will take action to remove the harmful file.

Similarly, an antivirus tool can safeguard a computer by constantly monitoring it for possible threats using its vast database of threat signatures. VirusTotal scans files using over 70 antivirus engines to ensure thorough analysis.

The uploaded file is compared to the malware patterns in the databases of each engine. However, there are cases where a particular pattern or signature is so commonly found that an antivirus program might incorrectly flag a file as malware, even if it is not.

Behavior of the threat

AppRisk:Generisk is a term frequently used to describe files that have the potential to carry harmful malware or may already contain malware.

However, it is possible for the antivirus engine to mistakenly flag trustworthy files as malware if its pattern or characteristics are too common, even if other antivirus engines consider them to be safe.

This is a frequent issue that often arises when dealing with downloaded files, particularly modded APKs acquired from unreliable sources.

These modified applications have been programmed to acquire cheats and boosts for the game in a straightforward manner. Consequently, antivirus engines might identify these alterations as malicious software due to their nature.

More about AppRisk:Generisk malware

AppRisk:Generisk is not a harmful threat on its own. Instead, it is a frequently occurring false positive that will trigger an alert for your files when you upload them to VirusTotal.

Nevertheless, the process of threat detection involves comparing common malware characteristics to your files. If 2-3 additional antivirus engines have identified your file as a potential threat, it is likely that AppRisk:Generisk is not a false positive.

If you've come across this issue on your computer, there might be other malware present, even if .Opening APK files on computer systems can be risky, as they have the potential to download harmful software to your PC. Being wary of counterfeit download pages is crucial.

Downloading APK files through your PC usually doesn't require any action. If you want to delete the file, it's a simple process that also applies to your Android device. Here are the steps to follow in order to make sure your computer is clean after visiting an unsafe website.

How to remove malware from computer

You've come to the right place if you need help getting rid of malware risks on your computer.

In the steps that follow, you'll learn how to get rid of harmful risks and make sure your system is malware-free.

We considered the technical skills of the people who use the internet, so we made sure the steps are simple enough that even those who aren't tech-savvy could follow them.

Before you continue, make sure you have a copy of your data saved somewhere else. If you don't, your files could get damaged or lost while you follow the steps below. These kinds of things don't usually happen, but we suggest doing it just in case.

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For the Overviews

To remove malware from your computer, you only need to follow a simple three-step procedure:

Step 1: Run malware scans

Step 2: Uninstall unrelated software

Step 3: Use the Tron script


Step 1: Run malware scans

New threats might not be found by antivirus engines in the early stages of an infection because their signatures are still being researched and put to a database for detection. It might be found in the end, but it may be too late for the computers that were infected.

However new malware threats can have some strings and signatures of some older malware in a database of other security software. Therefore it might get detected by other antivirus and not by others.

Since people who aren't tech-savvy might have trouble finding the malware, we will need more than one piece of security software to help us find the malicious threat.

Here's some good news: The programs mentioned below are completely free, which means you do not need to spend a dime to solve your malware problem. You can always use them anytime you feel your system is infected.

Please run the software individually. You can do so in any particular order.

  • Removal Tool
  • Emergency Kit
  • ESET Scanner
  • Malwarebytes
About the software

1. To start, download the Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool.

KVRT Step1

2. Once the download of the executable file (KVRT.exe) is complete. The program doesn't need to be installed on the computer, so you may begin running it straight away.

KVRT Step2

3. After reading the KSN Statement, Privacy Policy, and End User License Agreement, check the box indicating your agreement to the terms and conditions. To continue, click Accept.

KVRT Step3

4. Please wait for the system initialization process to finish, as the program will first check if your system is compatible.

KVRT Step4

5. Before we start scanning, we will have to set the scope of the scan. Click the Change parameters option to do so.

KVRT Step5

6. Check all the boxes to allow the computer to search through all of the disks and directories for malware. After that, click OK to return to the main screen.

KVRT Step6

7. We can now begin the scan; simply click the Start scan button, and the Virus Removal Tool will begin.

KVRT Step7

8. Await the scan's completion with patience. If there are any risks within the computer system, a notification will be displayed.

KVRT Step8

9. To completely remove the risks that the program has identified, click Delete from the drop-down menu of each discovered object.

KVRT Step9

10. Click Continue to remove the identified malware threats from your computer.

KVRT Step10
About the software

1. Download the Emsisoft Emergency Kit portable software.

Emsisoft Step1

2. You can launch the executable program (EmsisoftEmergencyKit.exe) directly from your downloads folder after downloading it.

Emsisoft Step2

3. Click Yes to let the program start on the computer when the User Account Control window appears.

Emsisoft Step3

4. Choose your program's destination folder and accept the license and maintenance terms. Next, click Install to continue.

Emsisoft Step4

5. Click Malware Scan on the homepage of the Emergency Kit application to start the scanning process. The amount of time it takes for the program to scan your computer will depend on how many files you have and the hardware capabilities of your system.

Emsisoft Step5

6. Emsisoft Emergency Scanner will display a list of the files that the program has detected when the scan is complete. To get rid of threats from your computer, click on Quarantine selected.

Emsisoft Step6

7. To complete the malware removal procedure, Emsisoft Emergency Scanner may also ask you to restart your computer. Simply click Reboot your system to finish the process.

Emsisoft Step7
About the software

1. Download the most recent version of ESET Online Scanner.

ESET Step1

2. After pressing the download button, the file (Esetonlinescanner.exe) should have been downloaded to your computer. It does not require any installations so you can simply run the aforementioned file.

ESET Step2

3. Before using ESET Online Scanner, it must be initialized. Choose your preferred language and click Get started. Continue as directed by the screen until the homepage appears.

ESET Step3

4. Click Computer scan from the homepage, then select Full scan from the three options available.

ESET Step4

5. Give ESET Online Scanner the permission to detect and remove potentially unwanted apps by ticking the Enable option. After that, click Start scan to begin the scanning process.

ESET Step5

6. Await the completion of the malware scan for your machine by the ESET Online Scanner. ESET Online Scanner would have automatically removed the threats it found after the scan. To complete the malware cleanup process, click Proceed.

ESET Step6
About the software

Note: We will only use the free version of Malwarebytes because it includes all of the capabilities we require.

1. Download the latest version of Malwarebytes Anti-malware.

Malwarebytes Step1

2. Malwarebytes will start downloading (MBSetup.exe) the installation file. Run the executable after the download is complete.

Malwarebytes Step2

3. To allow the program to execute, simply click Yes in the User Account Control window that may appear.

Malwarebytes Step3

4. The Malwarebytes setup wizard will now open; select Install to continue.

Malwarebytes Step4

5. You will be prompted by Malwarebytes to install the Browser Guard extension. Depending on whether you want it on your browser or not, you can choose to download it (the extension is completely free).

Malwarebytes Step5

6. Please wait as the Malwarebytes Setup installs itself. Follow the on-screen instructions until you have successfully installed Malwarebytes.

Malwarebytes Step6

7. Start by launching Malwarebytes Anti-malware for the first time after it has been installed. If you're installing Malwarebytes for the first time, you'll get a 14-day free trial of the premium version.

Malwarebytes Step7

8. After the program takes you to the main dashboard, click the Scanner box in the middle to start scanning the computer.

Malwarebytes Step8

9. You won't click Scan just yet when you get to the Scanner page. Rather, select Advanced scans as shown below.

Malwarebytes Step9

10. In the Custom scan section, click Configure scan. We will be able to alter the way the software scans the computer as a result.

Malwarebytes Step10

11. To detect hidden malware, click the box next to Scan for rootkits on the Configure Custom Scan screen. Additionally, to enable Malwarebytes to scan every drive on your computer, check the boxes next to each one.

Malwarebytes Step11

12. Once the Custom Scan options have been adjusted, click the Start Custom Scan button to get started.

Malwarebytes Step12

13. A side window displaying the computer scan's progress will appear. Please wait until Malwarebytes has completed its malware scan of the entire system.

Malwarebytes Step13

14. Following the completion of the scan, a list of threats found will appear. Check the boxes near all the malicious files and get rid of them from the computer by clicking the Quarantine button.

Malwarebytes Step14

If prompted, please restart your computer since Malwarebytes may require it.

Step 2: Uninstall unrelated software

You may discover programs on your computer that you did not install yourself and that you do not recognize. Since they might be the source of the malware infection, we should delete them as a result.

While the most recent version of Windows settings allows you to accomplish this through the Add & Remove Programs section, it is far simpler to use the Programs and Features page in the Control Panel.

The publisher name, the installation date, and the version number will all be displayed on a single grid screen, making it simpler to locate the virus. Here's how to do so:

1. Click on the Windows key to open the Start menu.

Uninstall Step1

2. Type Control Panel in the provided search bar and select the first item from the search results.

Uninstall Step 2

3. Click on Programs and inside, select Programs and Features.

Uninstall Step3

4. You will be presented with a list of programs currently installed on your computer.

Uninstall Step4

5. Find programs you do not recognize and right-click the item then select Uninstall/Change from the dropdown menu.

Uninstall Step5

We'll need to use a powerful uninstaller to do the dirty work for us if the software is stubborn and won't go away with normal approaches.

Fortunately, there are tools for this; Revo Uninstaller is a good uninstaller program made to tackle and remove uninstallable programs.

Revouninstaller icon Uninstall unwanted program/s using Revo Uninstaller

1. To start, download Revo Uninstaller by clicking here. Avoid downloading from third-party sources as they may contain additional bloatware upon installation.

Revo Step1

2. On the download page, opt for the free version of Revo Uninstaller as it has all the features we need. Click on Free Download to begin downloading the setup file.

Revo Step2

3. The revosetup.exe file would have started downloading. Click on it to start installing the software.

Revo Step3

4. Revo Uninstaller setup would now begin and follow the typical setup procedure such as selecting your setup language, accepting the license agreement, and selecting the installation location. Once setup is ready click Install.

Revo Step4

5. After the setup is finished, check the Launch Revo Uninstaller option to open the program upon closing the installer.

Revo Step5

6. Once Revo Uninstaller has opened, it will show you the list of applications currently installed on the computer. Find the program/s you do not recognize, right-click it, and select Uninstall from the drop-down menu. (We will be using PC App Store to demonstrate.)

Revo Step6

7. A confirmation message stating if you are sure you want to uninstall the said program, click Continue.

Revo Step7

8. Follow the uninstallation instructions and this time, Revo Uninstaller would have forced the program to continue with the uninstallation compared to the previous attempt via Control Panel.

Revo Step8

9. You will be notified that the software has been uninstalled, Revo Uninstaller will now conduct a preliminary examination and get rid of additional files and registries related to the program.

Revo Step9

10. On the selection of Scanning modes, select Advanced to make sure everything is scanned without leaving a single directory unnoticed.

Revo Step10

11. Wait for the scan to finish as Revo Uninstaller is checking for residual files and registries related to the program.

Revo Step11

12. Revo Uninstaller may have found leftover Registry items, click Select All and proceed to delete them by clicking the Delete button next to it. After that, click Next.

Revo Step12

13. It may have also found some leftover files and folders, simply do the same by clicking Select All and deleting them. Now click Finish and the uninstallation of the unwanted program is done.

Revo Step13

Step 3: Use the Tron Script (Optional)

The Tron script fights for the user, therefore it is one of our all-time favorites; it uses practically every removal and optimization method known to man, all with the touch of a single button.

It automates functions and programs for removing malware and bloatware, as well as cleaning up the computer, so the user behind the screen doesn't have to do any work at all.

Fair warning: It has been stated numerous times in the Tron Script documentation that attempting to clean or repair a system that was compromised by malware may result in a disabled PC. As a result, it is recommended that you backup your files before proceeding, as stated at the beginning of the instructions.

With that being said, let us proceed and use the Tron script to clean the system:

1. To start, download the Tron script.

Tron Step1

2. Extract the downloaded Tron file, with the use of an archiver like 7-Zip. Please keep in mind that you will not run the Tron script exactly as it is downloaded. You'll need to extract the.exe first.

Tron Step2

3. After extracting the compressed file, open the Tron folder, right-click the Tron script, and run it as administrator.

Tron Step3

4. The Tron script would have opened up and initialized by updating the database and checking the repo.

Tron Step4

5. Once the initialization is finished, the disclaimer will be shown on the screen. Read it and type I AGREE in all caps to continue.

Tron Step5

6. After agreeing to the disclaimer, it will show your current settings, as well as the Runtime estimate on how long the script may run. Press any key to begin running the Tron script on the system.

Tron Step6

7. It will create a system restore point before beginning the process so if you run into any issues after running the script, you can always restore to the point it created before it started.

Tron Step7

8. Please wait for the whole process to finish. You may see Tron script download and run multiple programs on the computer but it will uninstall them after finishing the process. This might take a long time as shown on the Runtime estimate.

Tron Step8

9. Once everything has finished, the CMD window will have turned green which indicates that the process is a success. Press any key on your keyboard to close the Tron script.

Tron Step9

10. To finalize the Tron script process, we recommend that you restart your computer.

Tron Step10

After restarting your computer, you should no longer see the presence of malware threats. You can always use the Tron script as a last option if you believe your machine is infected and there is no chance of detecting the malware.

Tips to protect your PC from malware

As the saying goes:The biggest vulnerability is the person behind the screen

So, here are some tips and what you need to know in order to keep your device safe and malware-free in the long run.

Keep every software installed up to date

Make sure that all of the programs in your computer is up-to-date with the latest version released by the developer. The reason behind this is that these updates frequently tackle bugs and issues that malware actors often exploit.

The same goes for your computer's operating system, make sure Windows is up-to-date with the latest software update to prevent malware from exploiting a hidden vulnerability.

Avoid downloading files from unknown sources

One of the biggest sources of malware infection in a computer system is third-party installations. This happens when a user downloads a certain program from sources that are not the official download links. Some of the common types of sources where malware is present are torrent files, cracked software, and games.

Be careful with opening email attachments

Malware often disguises itself as resumes and quotations and threat actors often send thousands of these infected emails to company employees around the world in order to infiltrate their network.

Always check where your emails are coming from as there may be a chance that the project attachment you received via email did not actually come from a co-worker.

Do not visit unreputable websites

Avoid visiting websites that contain unfiltered advertisements such as illegal streaming websites, cracked software platforms, and links sent out to you by somebody you do not trust.

These sites are often linked to redirect chains that load once you click on an ad element on the page. Following this chain often leads to drive-by malware and phishing pages that an average user may eventually fail to notice.

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