Trojan Win 32 (also known as Trojan:Win32) is a threat detection moniker used by Windows Defender to classify Trojan threats that share similar characteristics and patterns.
The threat name refers to computer programs discovered that allow the download and installation of Trojan-type malware in the system.
A Trojan virus is a type of malicious software (malware) that is frequently downloaded into a computer while posing as a legitimate program.
Derived from the ancient Greek story of the Trojan Horse, which led to the fall of Troy.
This type of malware works similarly, posing as a legitimate software download in order to enter the computer system.
Antivirus threat detection in general
Antivirus software relies on large databases containing signatures and patterns for viruses, malware, ransomware, trojans, adware, and other potentially dangerous software found in the wild.
They typically makes use of these datasets. To detect and remove malware from a computer, it must first be scanned and compared to a database of malicious software's unique signatures or identifiers.
When an antivirus program detects a file or application on a user's computer whose signature matches one in the database, it deletes the malicious file.
Similarly, an antivirus program can protect a computer in real time by scanning it every few minutes for threat signatures stored in its database.
In this case, Trojan Win 32 is classified as a sub-category within these databases because it is not a single threat that an antivirus can detect, but rather a collection of multiple threats with the same name.
Numerous variants of the aforementioned threat detection pattern use the following naming convention, such as Trojan:Win32/Watacac or Trojan:Win32/WinLnk.
Not to mention, there are also subcategories within them to classify newer threat variants.
Windows Defender uses a variety of classifiers, including Trojan Win 32, viruses (Virus:Win32), HackTools (HackTool:Win32), and other threats, all of which use the same naming convention.
Behavior of the threat
As previously stated, Trojan Win 32 (or Trojan:Win32) is a detection pattern name used by Windows Defender to classify a variety of threats, particularly Trojan-type viruses.
Trojan viruses enter the computer disguised as legitimate software such as antivirus programs, games, utility software like Photoshop, and so on.
The installer in these programs may claim to download the necessary files while also installing the Trojan.
Bundled programs are a very common way for people to become infected with such threats.
Once installed, it can cause serious problems for the computer and function as normal malware, stealing your data, logging your keystrokes, and interfering with the overall performance of the computer and others connected to it via the network.
Trojan viruses have many variants, so Windows Defender has over millions of detected threat names generated over the last decade, with hundreds, if not thousands, being assigned names every day.
These Trojans can include file locking ransomware, banking Trojans, rootkits, and backdoors.
Trojan Win 32 malware threats
Windows Defender is the primary antivirus engine that employs the heuristic threat detection pattern Trojan Win32 (Trojan:Win32); as a result, the built-in Windows protection system will detect the majority of the threats falling under this umbrella.
Here are some of the most prevalent Trojan Win 32 malware threats:
Trojan:Win32/Wacatac
The Wacatac Trojan is likely the most well-known Windows Defender threat detection at the moment. Many users from various online communities are receiving this threat alert from their built-in antimalware program.
It has many other variants such as:
This malware is caused by the use of third-party cracking programs and malware-infected bundled executables. This malware is widely distributed, and its payload can be found virtually anywhere on the internet.
Trojan:Win32/Vigorf
Every day, thousands of computers detect the Vigorf malware family (the most common being Trojan:Win32/Vigorf.A).
This type of threat infects the computer system as a result of a file dropped by another malware loader or when a user is tricked into downloading unknown files from malicious websites.
Trojan:Win32/WinLNK
WinLNK Trojan is a malware threat that primarily aims to monitor the user's computer session and activities.
This includes intercepting keyboard input, remotely taking screenshots of the screen, and capturing a list of active applications and what the user does in them.
Distribution method
We discovered that not only Trojan Win 32 threats, but malware in general, are frequently installed when users download malware-infected cracked torrents and pirated video games.
These are the results of running a malware installation obtained from a common fake download webpage, which many people fall for.
Furthermore, the aforementioned threat has been discovered in genuine installers, which include bundled apps.
More about Trojan Win 32
Trojan Win 32 indicates that malicious software has been detected on your computer, and as the malware's name suggests, this is not a threat to ignore.
Unless you downloaded a keygen or cracked software that you know will be detected by Windows Defender, you should take steps to remove it from your computer.
If Windows Defender failed to remove the PUADlManager virus and other malware from your computer, we recommend taking further action.
To completely remove malware from your computer, please follow the official malware removal instructions provided below.
Trojan Win 32 removal guide
If you are in need of help removing Trojan Win 32 from your computer system, you came to the right place.
This particular section will show you how to completely remove the said malware threat from your device.
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 proceed, ensure sure you have a backup of your data saved somewhere.
If you don't, your files may be destroyed or lost while you complete the instructions below.
These types of incidents are uncommon, but we recommend taking precautions just in case.
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To remove the Trojan Win 32 malware from your computer, you only need to follow a simple three-step procedure:
Step 1: Delete the malicious software
We must first find and remove malicious software that may be potentially linked to Trojan Win 32.
While the Add & Remove Programs page in more recent Windows settings allows you to accomplish this, it is far simpler to use the Programs and Features page in the Control Panel.
Since all of the information will be in one grid screen, including the publisher name, the installation date, and the version number, it will be simpler to locate the virus. Here's how to do so:
1. Click on the Windows key to open the Start menu.
2. Type Control Panel in the provided search bar and select the first item from the search results.
3. Click on Programs and inside, select Programs and Features.
4. You will be presented with a list of programs currently installed on your computer.
5. Find Trojan Win 32 and right-click the item then select Uninstall/Change from the dropdown menu.
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.
Uninstall Trojan Win 32 using Revo Uninstaller1. To start, download Revo Uninstaller by clicking here. Avoid downloading from third-party sources as they may contain additional bloatware upon installation.
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.
3. The revosetup.exe file would have started downloading. Click on it to start installing the software.
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.
5. After the setup is finished, check the Launch Revo Uninstaller option to open the program upon closing the installer.
6. Once Revo Uninstaller has opened, it will show you the list of applications currently installed on the computer. Find Trojan Win 32, right-click it, and select Uninstall from the drop-down menu. (We will be using PC App Store to demonstrate.)
7. A confirmation message stating if you are sure you want to uninstall the said program, click Continue.
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.
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 Trojan Win 32.
10. On the selection of Scanning modes, select Advanced to make sure everything is scanned without leaving a single directory unnoticed.
11. Wait for the scan to finish as Revo Uninstaller is checking for residual files and registries related to Trojan Win 32.
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.
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 Trojan Win 32 is done.
Step 2: Run malware scans
Antivirus engines may not detect new threats in the early stages of infection due to the malware not yet being recognized by the security software. It might be discovered in the end, but it may be too late for the infected machines.
However, new malware threats may contain strings and signatures from previous malware in a database of existing security products. As a result, other antivirus software may identify it while others do not.
Since some antivirus software may not be able to detect it, we'll need more than one piece of security software to help us locate and remove the harmful threat.
Please run the software individually. You can do so in any particular order.
- Removal Tool
- Emergency Kit
- ESET Scanner
- Malwarebytes
Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool is an excellent tool for scanning and disinfecting malware-infected computers. Please note that this tool is separate from the mainstream Kaspersky security applications, so worry not about the company's controversies.
1. To start, download the Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool.
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.
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.
4. Please wait for the system initialization process to finish, as the program will first check if your system is compatible.
5. Before we start scanning, we will have to set the scope of the scan. Click the Change parameters option to do so.
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.
7. We can now begin the scan; simply click the Start scan button, and the Virus Removal Tool will begin.
8. Await the scan's completion with patience. If there are any risks within the computer system, a notification will be displayed.
9. To completely remove the risks that the program has identified, click Delete from the drop-down menu of each discovered object.
10. Click Continue to remove the identified malware threats from your computer.
As the name implies, the Emergency Kit software by Emsisoft is a must-use in your malware scanner arsenal. It features the same powerful scanning technology used by their flagship software, Emsisoft Anti-Malware.
1. Download the Emsisoft Emergency Kit portable software.
2. You can launch the executable program (EmsisoftEmergencyKit.exe) directly from your downloads folder after downloading it.
3. Click Yes to let the program start on the computer when the User Account Control window appears.
4. Choose your program's destination folder and accept the license and maintenance terms. Next, click Install to continue.
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.
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.
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.
ESET Online Scanner is a program that is designed only to remove malware threats from your computer for free. It is simple to use and features an advanced malware detection system. There is no need for registration, free trials, or anything else. Simply download, execute, and remove the malware.
1. Download the most recent version of ESET Online Scanner.
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.
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.
4. Click Computer scan from the homepage, then select Full scan from the three options available.
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.
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.
Malwarebytes Anti-malware is well-known in the security field; they have helped many people with malware issues through their software, and downloading it will help you as well.
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.
2. Malwarebytes will start downloading (MBSetup.exe) the installation file. Run the executable after the download is complete.
3. To allow the program to execute, simply click Yes in the User Account Control window that may appear.
4. The Malwarebytes setup wizard will now open; select Install to continue.
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).
6. Please wait as the Malwarebytes Setup installs itself. Follow the on-screen instructions until you have successfully installed Malwarebytes.
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.
8. After the program takes you to the main dashboard, click the Scanner box in the middle to start scanning the computer.
9. You won't click Scan just yet when you get to the Scanner page. Rather, select Advanced scans as shown below.
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.
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.
12. Once the Custom Scan options have been adjusted, click the Start Custom Scan button to get started.
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.
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.
If prompted, please restart your computer since Malwarebytes may require it.
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.
With that being said, let us proceed and use the Tron script to clean the system:
1. To start, download the Tron script.
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.
3. After extracting the compressed file, open the Tron folder, right-click the Tron script, and run it as administrator.
4. The Tron script would have opened up and initialized by updating the database and checking the repo.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10. To finalize the Tron script process, we recommend that you restart your computer.
After restarting your computer, you should no longer see the presence of Trojan Win 32 or other 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.
Computer protection tips
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.