I wrote this article to help you remove Shadowsocks Virus. This Shadowsocks Virus removal guide works for all Windows versions.
Shadowsocks is a Trojan horse. It belongs to the category of cryptocurrency miners. A cryptocurrency is a digital monetary unit which is only traded online. The market leaders include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, NEM, Ripple, and others. This sector has seen a rapid growth over the course of the past few years. The increase in market value has inevitably led to misuse. Cryptocurrencies are often involved in cyber crime schemes. One such is mining. Programs like Shadowsocks scan the web for digital money, collect it and send it to their developers. Since the Trojan is a program, it requires a device to operate from. The clandestine program exploits computer systems. Having your machine linked in its scheme can lead to formidable security problems.
Shadowsocks is easy to detect. The Trojan runs a process called websock.exe. It is listed in the Task Manager under the processes tab. Per description, the program is categorized as a CPU utility. It will indeed be involved with the system CPU. The nefarious program exerts operational memory to carry out its scheduled tasks. This will reflect on your machine’s performance. It will become sluggish and have difficulty completing regular operations and fulfilling your requests. The Trojan’s interventions can cause internal disruptions. It can edit registries, delete files, and otherwise damage components, leading to errors and crashes. To sum it up, the symptoms for the presence of Shadowsocks include slow performance speed, freezes, crashes, error messages, and the blue screen of death (BSoD).
As far as contracting the Trojan, there is a lot to cover. We will begin by describing the propagation vectors. Unlicensed software is a convenient host. Merging the executable with freeware, shareware, and pirated programs allows Shadowsocks to be installed seamlessly. It will be included in the terms and conditions of the download client as a bonus utility. If you run a basic installation and accept the default settings, the rogue program will be installed without your knowledge. Shadowsocks does not run a separate wizard or open a dialog box. It is up to you to find the hidden software and prevent it from getting installed.
Spam emails are another common host for Shadowsocks. In this instance, the carrier for the Trojan’s payload is a regular data file. The sender merges the secluded program with an attachment together with a script or macro. The latter component makes the transfer of the Trojan automatic. When you open the attachment, the virus will be download and installed. The sender will present the appended document as an important notification on an urgent matter. To filter spam from legitimate messages, check the email address and other listed contacts. The final distribution method we need to cover is drive-by installations. Corrupted websites and compromised links can start the transfer of the Trojan when entered. There are dangers lurking around every corner, so choose your sources carefully.
As previously mentioned, the main process of Shadowsocks is websock.exe. There is a second task called Service.exe with the description taskxmr. You can find it in the same list of the Task Manager processes. The Trojan works on the background. It cannot be stopped. If you end its tasks, they will reappear momentarily. Shadowsocks builds a botnet to connect all infected computers. This makes it more effective and durable. From a quantitative standpoint, a greater number of devices mining for cryptocoins increases the collected amount.
The concept of a botnet is centered around connectivity. Every infected device acts as a tool for the main task at hand and as a distributor. In this case, the prime objective is to collect cryptocoins. An infected machine can transfer the Trojan to a computer system located in any part of the globe. Since the transferal happens via the Internet, the distance between the two devices does not matter. It is the same when it comes to controlling the devices. The hackers behind Shadowsocks handle operations remotely through a command and control (C&C) server. It should be noted that some countries have adopted laws which condemn failure to act against cyber exploits. Users are required by law to take immediate action upon noticing the symptoms and discovering the threat in their computer.
Shadowsocks Virus Removal
Run the Task Manager by right clicking on the Taskbar and choosing Start Task Manager.
Look carefully at the file names and descriptions of the running processes. If you find any suspicious one, search on Google for its name, or contact me directly to identify it. If you find a malware process, right-click on it and choose End task.
Open Control Panel by holding the Win Key and R together. Write appwiz.cpl in the field, then click OK.
Here, find any program you had no intention to install and uninstall it.
Open MS Config by holding the Win Key and R together. Type msconfig and hit Enter.
Go in the Startup tab and Uncheck entries that have “Unknown” as Manufacturer.
Still can not remove Shadowsocks Virus from your computer? Please, leave a comment below, describing what steps you performed. I will answer promptly.
