The Betload Trojan is a dangerous weapon used against computer users worldwide. It infects mainly via infected software installers. Our article gives an overview of its behavior according to the collected samples and available reports, also it may be helpful in attempting to remove the virus.
Threat Summary
| Name | Betload Trojan |
| Type | Trojan |
| Short Description | The Betload Trojan is a computer virus that is designed to silently infiltrate computer systems. |
| Symptoms | The victims may not experience any apparent symptoms of infection. |
| Distribution Method | Software Vulnerabilities, Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages, Scripts and others. |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Betload Trojan. |
Betload Trojan – Distribution Methods
The Betload Trojan is a payload threat which has the capability to infect various type of files and is not delivered standalone. There are two main forms which are predominantly used to spread Trojans:
- Documents — The Trojan virus code is placed in macros that are embedded across all popular document types: spreadsheets, presentations, text files and databases. When they are opened by the victim users a notification prompt will appear asking them to enable the built-in content. Usually the quoted reason is to correctly view the document. This will launch the code that will deploy the Trojan.
- Setup Files — The criminals can embed the code in application installers of all popular categories: creativity suites, system utilities, productivity apps and office programs. They are created by the hackers by taking legitimate app setup files and modifying them to include the virus code. The installers are obtained from the official download pages.
The Betload Trojan files can be distributed via other methods as well. A popular tactic is the upload of these files to file sharing networks like BitTorrent. They are used to distribute both pirate and legitimate files — there are both public and private trackers which are widely used to spread various data.
It is possible that future attack campaigns will utilize some of the other methods. A popular tactic is to coordinate email phishing messages. They will copy the body contents and design of legitimate services and companies that they might be using. The dangerous code can be embedded both in the contents and the attached files. This is possible by clicking on images, videos and even text links. In some cases the virus can be directly attached to the messages.
The Betload Trojan sample can be uploaded to malicious sites which are created to pose as legitimate portals, landing pages and etc. They are made by using similar sounding domain names and fake security certificates. This step is done in order to confuse the visitors into thinking that they are accessing a safe and legitimate site.
Betload Trojan – Detailed Description
As soon as the Betload Trojan is activated it will start to run a preliminary list of modules that are designed to carry out the initial infection:
- Data Retrieval — The Betload Trojan is used to gather sensitive information from the infected machines. The security report shows that the malware downloads a list of the installed hardware components, active computer name and other information. In almost all cases this is done in order to assign an unique infection ID to each affected computer. This includes terminal service related keys which are most commonly used for remote login sessions. If they are acquired by the hacker operators they can use it as a substitute to an actual Trojan instance.
- Volume Manager Interaction — To infect a larger number of machines the criminals can interact with the Windows Volume Manager. This allows the Betload Trojan to access removable storage devices and network shares.
- Process Manipulation & Creation — The malicious threat is able to access and modify currently running processes and services belonging both to the operating system and the third-party applications. This can cause severe performance issues and unexpected errors. If the malware creates its own processes they can be several running at once and with administrative privileges. Hooking up to existing processes can reveal the users input and output operations allowing the Betload Trojan то spy on the victims in real-time.
The gathered information allows the virus code to detect if security software are running. Future versions can use it a wide range of applications: anti-virus programs, virtual machine hosts, sandbox environments and debug software. Their real-time engines can be disabled or entirely removed depending on the included programming code. The captured samples have been shown to exhibit many procedures with the same disassembly stream which is a technique used to hide the virus usage.
The next step is to read and change configuration files, in the case of boot options this will lead to a persistent infection. In this case many manual user removal guides will be rendered non-working as the recovery boot menus will be disabled.
A dangerous effect of the Betload Trojan installation is that it can both access and remove user data, including backups, System Restore points and other related files. This means that the use of a data recovery solution might be required. Access to the Windows Registry is also part of the Betload Trojan capabilities which allows it to change critical values. That can cripple the system’s performance.
As soon as all preliminary actions have completed running a connection will be made to a hacker-controlled server. This connection will allow the criminals to take over control of the victim computers, download and install additional payloads, as well as spy on the victims. here are several dangerous payloads that can be delivered using such malware:
- Cryptocurrency Miners — They are used to perform complex calculations which are downloaded from a special server. This is done via a special program that takes advantage of the hardware resources: CPU, memory, GPU and hard disk space. When one of the tasks is complete digital currency will be automatically transferred to the wallets of the hackers.
- Browser Hijackers — They represent malicious addons made for the most popular web browsers. When installed they will modify the default settings (home page, search engine and new tabs page) in order to redirect the victims to a hacker-controlled landing page.
- Ransomware — These viruses will encrypt the user data according to a built-in list of target file types. A strong cipher will be used to encrypt the data, in most cases a special extension will be applied to the victim files. A ransomware note will be created in order to blackmail the victims into paying the victims a fee in order to access their data.
As the Betload Trojan is build on a modular foundation it allows the hacker operators to create various behavior patterns and scenarios. Future versions may include other modules as well.
Remove NtCrypt Crypter Completely
To remove Betload Trojan manually from your computer, follow the step-by-step removal tutorial written down below. In case this manual removal does not get rid of the miner malware completely, you should search for and remove any leftover items with an advanced anti-malware tool. Such software can keep your computer secure in the future.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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Preparation before removing Betload Trojan.
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 Betload Trojan with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Clean any registries, created by Betload Trojan 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 Betload Trojan 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 Betload Trojan 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.
Betload Trojan FAQ
What Does Betload Trojan Trojan Do?
The Betload Trojan 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 Betload Trojan, 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 Betload Trojan 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 Betload Trojan 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 Betload Trojan Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Betload Trojan 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 Betload Trojan?
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 Betload Trojan threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by trojans, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.