What is Dload.exe? Should I remove it?
Dload.exe – Office Test Platform file used for legitimate purposes but might also indicate virus presence
Dload.exe is an executable file that might be related to legitimate software or dialer malware known as Coulomb Dialer. Since the latter is very rare at the present time, it is unlikely that the file you encountered is actually malicious, although investigation should be undertaken. That being said, it is more likely that the executable is related to MSDN Office Test Platform & Development Tools software released by Microsoft.
| Name | Dload.exe |
| Type | Application file or malware file |
| Location | C:\Program Files\Microsoft\ |
| Dangers | Dialer malware can redirect web traffic to premium-rate numbers, resulting in financial losses to those infected |
| Elimination | If you need to remove the file, uninstall the associated software; if the file is malicious, use anti-virus program |
| System fix | If your machine was infected with malware, it could result in system crashes or errors after its elimination. If you notice such symptoms, use FortectIntego to fix virus damage on Windows |
The related Development Tools software was first introduced by Microsoft in 1998. Once this program is installed via the disc, it would place various program files into the C:\Program Files\Microsoft folder, including the executable file in question. If you have installed this software for some reason, you should not be surprised if the executable is present on your machine or the related process is running in the background.
On the other hand, cybercriminals might name their files as anything so that any background process could be a potential threat; luckily, such things can be easily checked in various ways.
Dialer malware was prevalent during the times when dialer-based internet was the prominent way to connect to the world wide web. It would change the settings of dial-up connection in order to reroute web traffic and connect to premium-rate numbers automatically, benefitting the attackers financially.
In some cases, Dload.exe might not be related to any of the mentioned above and can either be a harmless application file or a malicious component of a virus. The best way to find out is to examine it with antivirus software, such as SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes. Manual malware elimination might not always be successful, as DLL and other files might be restarted straight away.
Besides, if you have found out about adware, Trojan, dialer, or other malware infection on your system, you should also clean your web browsers to ensure that they stop the redirects. You can also do that automatically with FortectIntego; this program can also help you fix damaged Windows system files.
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