This article aims to explain what is the ontology.dll malware error and explain how to check if it’s malicious and how to remove it.
If you are running a computer with an Nvidia GPU, chances are that your antivirus software has detected the process Ontology.dll as a Trojan horse. The Ontology.dll is a file, belonging to the drivers of the Nvidia GPUs, installed on Windows machines and Is generally classified as a false positive detection. However, many users also report that the file may be related to a malicious executable file which may attack the driver of you GPU. This is why, we recommend that you read the following article and secure your computer n case Ontology.dll is a malicious file.
Threat Summary
| Name | Ontology.dll |
| Type | Either a Trojan or a False Positive detection. |
| Short Description | If Trojan, attacks the graphics of your video card. If false positive, the .dll process is detected as malicious by some antivirus programs as a Trojan. |
| Symptoms | Suspicious behavior of the .dll process. May display system errors, such as: “The procedure entry point CreateApplicationWrapper could not be located in the dynamic link library Ontology.dll”. |
| Distribution Method | Spam Emails, Email Attachments, Executable files |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
|
User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Ontology.dll. |
Ontology.dll Detection – How Did I Get It
In general, the Ontology.dll is a process which is a support file of the drivers of your Nvidia GPU. In most cases, the process is false-positive and it is installed along with the conventional installation of the video card drivers. The file contains instructions which assist the programs within the driver of the GPU to work properly.
If the Ontology.dll is a malicious file, which may be the case, if your computer has been infected with malware, there are several different methods by which this could have happened:
- If you open a suspicious e-mail attachment, causing the infection.
- If your computer has already been previously infected with malware.
- If you install a fake setup, execute a fake license activator, game crack or patch which is actually the payload dropper file of the Trojan, that may be related to Ontology.dll.
Ontology.dll – More Information
Ontology.dll is an important process which may be responsible for specifying the specific video card that you run on your computer. The process may also assist processes of the drivers to be executed by containing functions in it that assist the central executable files of the programs of your driver to operate. In general, if the process is the original one, it may not be malicious at all.
But, since this process is of importance to the functioning of the drivers, it can also be replaced with it’s analogue process, which is configured to serve the interests of malware, which may have infected your computer. Such malware may generally be:
- Mining Trojans which take system resources from your GPU (Video Card).span>
- Classic Trojan Horse that may steal information from your computer and make screenshots of your desktop.
- Botnet-related Trojan, aiming to connect your computer to a zombie network.
Whatever the case of Ontology.dll may be, it is safest to check your computer for malware and if detected to remove it immediately.
Remove Ontology.dll Malware and Secure Your PC
In order to check your computer for malware, you need to first located the Ontology.dll file, which is in the following directory:
→ C:\Users\”UserName”\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\NvBackend\ApplicationOntology
Then, you can use a detection website, like VirusTotal.com or ZipeZip.com to check if the file is malicious or no.
The best method to check if the Ontology.dll file is actually malware is to run a scan with an advanced antimalware program in order to establish if there is other malware, related to this file on your PC and secure it completely.
Automatically remove Ontology.dll by downloading an advanced anti-malware program
Remove Ontology.dll with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for and remove Ontology.dll.2. Scan with SpyHunter to Detect and Remove Ontology.dll.It is highly recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to automatically update.
Step1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Scan Computer Now’ button.
Step2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any Ontology.dll files, click on the ‘Fix Threats’ button to remove them automatically and permanently.
Step3: Once the intrusions on your PC have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart it.
Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future
IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data automatically with cloud backup and insure it against any type of data loss on your device, even the most severe. We recommend reading more about and downloading SOS Online Backup .
To back up your files via Windows and prevent any future intrusions, follow these instructions:
1. For Windows 7 and earlier 2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 3. Enabling the Windows Defense Feature (Previous Versions)1-Click on Windows Start Menu
2-Type Backup And Restore
3-Open it and click on Set Up Backup
4-A window will appear asking you where to set up backup. You should have a flash drive or an external hard drive. Mark it by clicking on it with your mouse then click on Next.
5-On the next window, the system will ask you what do you want to backup. Choose the ‘Let Me Choose’ option and then click on Next.
6-Click on ‘Save settings and run backup’ on the next window in order to protect your files from possible attacks by Ontology.dll.
2-In the window type ‘filehistory’ and press Enter
3-A File History window will appear. Click on ‘Configure file history settings’
4-The configuration menu for File History will appear. Click on ‘Turn On’. After its on, click on Select Drive in order to select the backup drive. It is recommended to choose an external HDD, SSD or a USB stick whose memory capacity is corresponding to the size of the files you want to backup.
5-Select the drive then click on ‘Ok’ in order to set up file backup and protect yourself from Ontology.dll.
1- Press Windows button + R keys.
2- A run windows should appear. In it type ‘sysdm.cpl’ and then click on Run.
3- A System Properties windows should appear. In it choose System Protection.
5- Click on Turn on system protection and select the size on the hard disk you want to utilize for system protection.
6- Click on Ok and you should see an indication in Protection settings that the protection from Ontology.dll is on.
Restoring a file via Windows Defense feature:
1-Right-click on the encrypted file, then choose Properties.
2-Click on the Previous Versions tab and then mark the last version of the file.
3-Click on Apply and Ok and the file encrypted by Ontology.dll should be restored.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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Preparation before removing Ontology.dll.
Before starting the actual removal process, we recommend that you do the following preparation steps.
- Make sure you have these instructions always open and in front of your eyes.
- Do a backup of all of your files, even if they could be damaged. You should back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats.
- Be patient as this could take a while.
- Scan for Malware
- Fix Registries
- Remove Virus Files
Step 1: Scan for Ontology.dll with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Clean any registries, created by Ontology.dll on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by Ontology.dll there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.Step 3: Find virus files created by Ontology.dll on your PC.
1.For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
1: On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
2: Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.
3: Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC's screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be "fileextension:exe". After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:
N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navigation box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn't found it yet.
2.For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS's the conventional approach should be the effective one:
1: Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
2: After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.
3: After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.
Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.
Ontology.dll FAQ
What Does Ontology.dll Trojan Do?
The Ontology.dll Trojan is a malicious computer program designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. It can be used to steal sensitive data, gain control over a system, or launch other malicious activities.
Can Trojans Steal Passwords?
Yes, Trojans, like Ontology.dll, can steal passwords. These malicious programs are designed to gain access to a user's computer, spy on victims and steal sensitive information such as banking details and passwords.
Can Ontology.dll Trojan Hide Itself?
Yes, it can. A Trojan can use various techniques to mask itself, including rootkits, encryption, and obfuscation, to hide from security scanners and evade detection.
Can a Trojan be Removed by Factory Reset?
Yes, a Trojan can be removed by factory resetting your device. This is because it will restore the device to its original state, eliminating any malicious software that may have been installed. Bear in mind that there are more sophisticated Trojans that leave backdoors and reinfect even after a factory reset.
Can Ontology.dll Trojan Infect WiFi?
Yes, it is possible for a Trojan to infect WiFi networks. When a user connects to the infected network, the Trojan can spread to other connected devices and can access sensitive information on the network.
Can Trojans Be Deleted?
Yes, Trojans can be deleted. This is typically done by running a powerful anti-virus or anti-malware program that is designed to detect and remove malicious files. In some cases, manual deletion of the Trojan may also be necessary.
Can Trojans Steal Files?
Yes, Trojans can steal files if they are installed on a computer. This is done by allowing the malware author or user to gain access to the computer and then steal the files stored on it.
Which Anti-Malware Can Remove Trojans?
Anti-malware programs such as SpyHunter are capable of scanning for and removing Trojans from your computer. It is important to keep your anti-malware up to date and regularly scan your system for any malicious software.
Can Trojans Infect USB?
Yes, Trojans can infect USB devices. USB Trojans typically spread through malicious files downloaded from the internet or shared via email, allowing the hacker to gain access to a user's confidential data.
About the Ontology.dll Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Ontology.dll how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific trojan problem.
How did we conduct the research on Ontology.dll?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of trojans (backdoor, downloader, infostealer, ransom, etc.)
Furthermore, the research behind the Ontology.dll threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by trojans, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.