What Is Winnti?
Winnti is the name of a Trojan horse. An executable process related to the Winnti Trojan horse is involved in spreading it. That process might be hidden inside your operating system. Malware researchers have also discovered that it injects processes with malicious payloads and sets up drivers and services to work in its aid. The Winnti Trojan got inside your machine without your permission and could try to steal credential data and personal information from your computer. In addition, Winnti Trojan will set up a backdoor on your computer system that will be like a gateway for other malware. Thus, it is in your best interest to remove it as fast as you can.
Threat Details
| Name | Winnti |
| Type | Trojan Horse, Miner Malware |
| Short Description | Winnti is a Trojan horse that is probably put in your computer system via a similar malware on your computer system. |
| Symptoms | You may see a rise in the usage of your computer’s resources like CPU, RAM or GPU, while your computer will accordingly consume more electric power and may even overheat if a cryptocurrency miner is involved. Otherwise, there are barely any symptoms most of the time, other than a significant system slowdown or frequent system crashes. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages, JavaScript |
| Detection Tool |
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Winnti Trojan – How Does It Spread and How Can I Prevent It from Placing a Backdoor?
The Winnti Trojan malware could spread through a few methods, the most effective of which is via third-party installation setups. Such installers usually come from bundled applications and freeware that is packed with additional features, set to be installed with some other software. The unpacking of anything additive could occur without any prior notification. You could have installed a video converter or some other free program and got your browser settings altered from this redirect. Winnti Trojan might also be delivered via exploit kits, or in files (typically using filenames related to popular keyword searches) which are downloaded from various malicious websites.
What Does Winnti Trojan Do?
Malware researchers have discovered that the Winnti Trojan injects processes with malicious payloads and sets up drivers and services to work in its aid. The Winnti Trojan got inside your machine without your permission and could try to steal credential data and personal information from your computer. In addition, Winnti Trojan will set up a backdoor on your computer system that will be like a gateway for other malware.
Winnti Trojan is highly likely to make some additional components that will aid it to achieve its purpose to full effect. Some of them are known and have the following names:
- %System%\drivers\acplec.sys
- %System%\drivers\sp1itter.sys
Thus, after it being executed on the system, it may establish a remote connection via http or https to the following location:
- lp.apanku.com
- ad.jcrsoft.com
- rh.jcrsoft.com
- bot.timewalk.me
- b0t.meibu.com
The Trojan horse has a few aliases, known to security vendors, which are the following:
- Troj/Winnti-B
- Backdoor.Winnti
- TROJ_WINNTI.SM
- Trojan:Win32/Bledoor.A
- Win32/Winnti
How to Prevent Future Trojan Intrusions
Below you can see some useful tips that can help you to prevent similar Trojan malware from installing onto your PC, in the future:
- Run programs inside a sandbox environment
- Install an advanced anti-malware protection
- Update your mostly-used programs and software in general
- Update your OS with security updates
- Install an ad-blocker application
- Be wary around your e-mails and don’t open them unless you know the source
- Disable macros in Microsoft Office Applications
- Disable JavaScript
- Keep your firewall ON
Winnti Trojan will probably try to extract as much information as possible based on its capabilities and try to propagate further on a network to access other devices. It is highly recommend that you remove the malware threat, because the Winnti Trojan because its purpose it to open your computer for other malware threats to access it.
Remove Winnti Trojan Completely
To remove Winnti 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.
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Tsetso Mihailov is a tech-geek and loves everything that is tech-related, while observing the latest news surrounding technologies. He has worked in IT before, as a system administrator and a computer repair technician. Dealing with malware since his teens, he is determined to spread word about the latest threats revolving around computer security.
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Preparation before removing Winnti.
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 Winnti with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Clean any registries, created by Winnti 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 Winnti 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 Winnti 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.
Winnti FAQ
What Does Winnti Trojan Do?
The Winnti 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 Winnti, 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 Winnti 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 Winnti 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 Winnti Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Winnti 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 Winnti?
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 Winnti threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by trojans, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.