Alureon virus: what it is and how to remove it
Alureon is a relatively old cyber threat - it was first spotted by researchers in 2007 and reached its peak in 2010 when it was considered the second biggest botnet at the time. The virus entered PCs by being manually installed by users, such as when they downloaded rogue anti-virus software like Security Essentials 2010.
Facts checked October 6, 2026. Removal steps tested on Windows 11 (26H2) and checked against Microsoft's and the browser makers' current documentation. Sections marked as our earlier report are the original text: they describe the threat as it was then and have not been reviewed since. The 2026 status, the removal steps and the questions are current.
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Alureon virus: summary
| Name | Alureon virus |
|---|---|
| Type | Trojan/rootkit/botnet |
| Also known as | Windows Detected ALUREON scam; You Have A ALUREON Virus |
| First spotted | 2010 |
| Activity | Self-replicating trojan steals personal data and redirects to malicious websites |
| Main dangers | Loss of data, additional malware infections |
| Removal | Scan the PC with security software to find and remove the malware and anything installed with it. Fortect scans Windows for malware and repairs the system files and settings it damaged. Remove it nowTo use the full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Fortect. The scan is free. |
Show 9 more facts
| Infiltration | The trojan itself is manually installed by victims, usually from torrents and file-sharing sites The scam appears when the system is infected with adware |
|---|---|
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Symptoms | An unknown process in Task Manager |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| File names | spoolsv.exe |
| First seen | 15 June 2019 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What Alureon virus does on an infected PC
From our report of Jun 2019 · not reviewed since
Scams use the name of the malicious program
Being a rootkit, Alureon is hardly detected, so it is worth mentioning that there are crooks that make use of the notoriety of the popular malware name.
However, you can hardly miss the Windows Detected ALUREON Virus scam that is floating around the Internet. In this case, you can be sure that the malware reported in the alert is fake.
"Windows Detected ALUREON virus" or "You Have A ALUREON Virus" pop-up belongs to the category of tech support scam. These alerts are displayed on the web browser after infecting it with an adware-type virus. Once installed, this threat generates dubious notifications and uses social engineering techniques to trick users into contacting scammers via the given number. Once contacted, they seek the following goals:
"You Have A ALUREON Virus" or a similar scam is typically displayed within the browser. Because of special techniques, sometimes this window can't be left when desired and even increases the illusion that a real virus is hiding on the system. However, you just need to leave the affected web browser by canceling it and then remove the related adware from the system.
- Get the remote access to the system;
- Trick the user into installing malware by presenting it as effective anti-virus;
- Make the user pay for "fixing the system."
From our report of Jun 2019 · not reviewed since
File an links on the internet can inject the payload of the notorious trojan
While some malware uses weak RDP or exploits kits to infiltrate systems (does not rely on the person to initiate the download), most of the cyber threats are installed by users themselves.
Of course, they are not aware of the consequences when they download and install rogue software or use file-sharing, torrent sites. Nevertheless, users can also be tricked by social engineering used by criminals and believe that there is a need to download and install the malicious file.
Thus, users are advised to be vigilant when it comes to downloading freeware on their machines. Do not visit suspicious sites and do not download pirated software or keygens and cracks. While you may think you got yourself a free application, the malware is doing its job by stealing personal information in the background.
Make sure that the anti-virus program is kept up to date at all times.
From our report of Jun 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Alureon virus
- Use powerful anti-malware software to eliminate the rootkit
What Alureon virus can steal or download
From our report of Jun 2019 · not reviewed since
Alureon is a relatively old cyber threat - it was first spotted by researchers in 2007 and reached its peak in 2010 when it was considered the second biggest botnet at the time.
The virus entered PCs by being manually installed by users, such as when they downloaded rogue anti-virus software like Security Essentials 2010. After making several modifications within the system, the malware establishes itself as a rootkit and starts intercepting the system's network traffic, resulting in sensitive data harvesting.
The threat also disables anti-malware software and redirects victims to spoofed websites on Google Chrome or any browser. Having in mind its danger level, there is no surprise that virus developers have included it into several scams, including "Windows Detected ALUREON" and "You have a ALUREON virus" scam.
Since Alureon virus does not emit any symptoms, users were not aware of the presence of the threat on their machines. Fortunately, cybercriminals made a mistake within its code, which led 0×80070032, 0x800704ec and 0×80501001 BSoDs appearing on victims' systems (32-bit versions of Windows OS) after the MS10-015 software update. This allowed experts to research the threat and work on the virus removal.
As soon as the rootkit enters the machine, it hijacks spoolsv.exe service and updates the master boot record which allows the virus to execute alternative Windows loading process. It also creates a randomly named copy of itself and copies it into the system folder. The threat then infects system drivers and modifies Windows Registry to assure persistence.
Researchers reported that Alureon is capable of changing DNS settings. This allows the virus to reroute users to spoofed or malicious websites, where more malware can be obtained by using click fraud or other deceptive ways.
Once settled, the threat begins its activity immediately. After modifying system settings, the malware is capable of stealing the following:
While it is an old threat, it does not mean it is not active anymore. Users can still get infected, so there might be a need to remove Alureon virus from their systems permanently. Additionally, experts recommend changing passwords and using system repair tools like to fix the damage done by the rootkit.
- Credit card information;
- Usernames and passwords or all accounts;
- Social security numbers;
- PayPal information;
- Other sensitive data.
How to check the PC for Alureon virus
- File:
spoolsv.exe
How to remove Alureon virus
A loader's job is to install other malware, so treat the PC as infected with more than one program until the scans are clean.
Step 1: Check where spoolsv.exe runs from and stop it
spoolsv.exeis the part you can see, and its location tells you whether it belongs there. Right-click it on the Processes page of Task Manager and choose Open file location, then right-click the file > Properties > Digital Signatures to see who signed it.An unsigned file, or one in a user folder such as
%AppData%, is the one to remove: end the task, then delete the file.Note the folder name, because the same folder usually holds its other files. This is the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Full procedure with screenshots: Close a frozen app (Task Manager, Force Quit) On uGetFix
Step 2: Delete scheduled tasks that bring it back
Open Task Scheduler from the Start menu and click Task Scheduler Library. Select each task you do not recognise and read the Actions tab:
- a task that starts a file in
%AppData%or%Temp% - runs
powershellwith a long encoded line - opens a web address belongs to Alureon virus or a similar program
Right-click such a task and choose Delete, and check the subfolders too. Leave tasks from Microsoft, your PC's maker and programs you use. Task Scheduler is the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Windows 11: Task Scheduler Library, the task selected, the Actions tab shows the file it runs. Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
- a task that starts a file in
Step 3: Remove it from startup
Whatever Alureon virus installed usually starts with Windows. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Startup apps in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10, and disable what you do not know, starting with entries that have an empty Publisher column.
Open file location on the right-click menu shows the file, which helps you decide and tells you what to delete later. Disabling is safe: if something you need stops working, switch it back on.
Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 4: Delete the folders left behind
What the uninstaller leaves behind is usually in the user folders. Open File Explorer, switch on View > Show > Hidden items (in Windows 10 View > Hidden items), and go through
%LocalAppData%,%AppData%, %ProgramData% and the two Program Files folders.Sort by Date modified and delete folders that appeared together with the problem and belong to no program you use. Folders with random names that hold
.exe,.dll, .js or .ps1 files are the strongest sign.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
Windows 11: Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options. Full procedure with screenshots: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan
Step 6: Change passwords from another device and sign out other sessions
Assume that the passwords saved in this PC's browsers, and the accounts that were open in them, are known to the attacker. From a phone or a clean computer, change the e-mail password first, then banking, shopping, social and gaming accounts.
Use each service's option to sign out of all other sessions, because stolen cookies keep a session open even after a password change. Turn on two-step verification on each account. Wait with the infected Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC until the scans are clean.
Full procedure with screenshots: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account
From our report of Jun 2019 · not reviewed since
Find the Alureon virus and remove it from your machine with AV tools
No matter which version of the malware has infected your system, you should take care of the trojan removal without wasting your time.
If you are lucky enough to find out that it is just a scam, you need to get rid of Windows Detected ALUREON Virus by removing all suspicious entries hiding in your system. Additionally, you should reset your web browser to default. Instructions on how to do that are given below.
However, if the real threat is hiding in your system, do not even try to remove Alureon virus manually as it makes hundreds of changes. We highly recommend opting for professional help to fix your system fully.
You can attempt to eliminate the threat by using security software as , or . If you find out that the virus is blocking your anti-malware, make sure you reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Networking before a scan:
Remember that the rootkit can be especially hard to remove, therefore, you might have to disconnect your PC from the internet and only then attempt the elimination.
- Click on Windows Start button and write msconfig.exe into the command line;
- Click this entry and select Boot tab;
- Check Safe boot and Network options;
- Click OK and Restart buttons.
After removal: passwords, accounts and prevention
Accounts come next
Because the PC showed an unfamiliar process called spoolsv.exe in Task Manager, a sign of a program that could read browser data, the clean-up is only half of the work.
The other half happens in your online accounts.
Change passwords from a clean device, beginning with e-mail; sign out of all sessions; check forwarding rules and recovery phone numbers; and turn on two-step verification with an authenticator app or a passkey. Ask your bank to replace cards saved in the browser.
Why the order matters and what to check in each account: secure your accounts after malware.
Access your website securely from any location
When you work on the domain, site, blog, or different project that requires constant management, content creation, or coding, you may need to connect to the server and content management service more often. The best solution for creating a tighter network could be a dedicated/fixed IP address.
If you make your IP address static and set to your device, you can connect to the CMS from any location and do not create any additional issues for the server or network manager that needs to monitor connections and activities. VPN software providers like can help you with such settings and offer the option to control the online reputation and manage projects easily from any part of the world.
Recover files after data-affecting malware attacks
While much of the data can be accidentally deleted due to various reasons, malware is one of the main culprits that can cause loss of pictures, documents, videos, and other important files.
More serious malware infections lead to significant data loss when your documents, system files, and images get encrypted. In particular, ransomware is is a type of malware that focuses on such functions, so your files become useless without an ability to access them.
Even though there is little to no possibility to recover after file-locking threats, some applications have features for data recovery in the system. In some cases, can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
Questions about Alureon virus
Is spoolsv.exe safe?
It depends on where the file is and who signed it, not on the name. Open Task Manager, go to the Details tab, right-click spoolsv.exe and choose Open file location. A file inside Program Files or System32 with a valid digital signature from a known company is usually part of a legitimate program.
A file in AppData, Temp or ProgramData with no signature, especially one that restarts itself after you end it, is suspicious. If you cannot tie the process to anything you installed, uninstall recent unfamiliar programs and run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
Can I delete the spoolsv.exe file?
Only after you know what it belongs to. If spoolsv.exe is part of a program, uninstall that program through Settings instead, so its services and tasks go too. If it belongs to nothing and is unsigned, end the process, disable whatever starts it and then delete its folder.
Do not delete files from the Windows folder or files signed by Microsoft: those are part of the system, and removing them can stop Windows from starting. When in doubt, run a Microsoft Defender scan first and let it decide.
Can I just delete spoolsv.exe?
Deleting spoolsv.exe by hand rarely removes Alureon virus. While the trojan runs, Windows may refuse to delete the file, and if you succeed, a scheduled task, a service or a second copy may bring it back at the next restart.
The file can also be only one part of the infection: loaders and remote access tools often install other programs. Use the Microsoft Defender offline scan, which removes the file together with its startup entries before Windows loads, and then check startup items and scheduled tasks as described in the plan.
Why can't I find Alureon virus in antivirus databases?
Because it is new or because it is listed under a different name. Antivirus companies name threats after the family they belong to, and a program that appears as Alureon virus on your PC may carry a generic or unrelated label in their databases.
Many new samples are first detected only by behaviour, without a family name. What you saw, an unfamiliar process called spoolsv.exe in Task Manager, is enough to act on:
- end the program
- remove its startup entry
- run a Microsoft Defender offline scan
- secure your accounts
A detection name from a scan is worth noting for later.
Is a trojan infection worth reporting to the police?
If there was harm, yes. Unauthorised payments, accounts used for fraud, blackmail or a remote session during a scam call all belong in a report, and banks often ask for its reference number before they refund anything.
If antivirus caught Alureon virus before it ran and nothing was misused, there is nothing to report. Keep the evidence anyway:
- protection history
- the original download
- the dates
Businesses may also have to notify a data protection authority if personal data could have been accessed.
What are the signs of a trojan infection?
Most trojans try to leave no visible signs, so look for side effects. Common ones:
- Windows Security turned off or unable to update
- new entries in Startup apps or Task Scheduler
- programs in Installed apps you did not install
- browser settings that changed by themselves
- unusual network activity while the PC is idle
- password-reset or login-alert e-mails you did not trigger
None of these proves an infection on its own. Together with an antivirus alert naming Alureon virus, they are a strong reason to follow the full plan.
Can Alureon virus spread to other devices on my network?
Most trojans aimed at home users stay on the PC they infected, but an attacker with remote access can look at the network, open shared folders and try passwords on other devices. Loaders sometimes deliver worms or ransomware that do spread.
Disconnect the PC while cleaning, run a full scan on other Windows PCs, change the router's admin password and the Wi-Fi password if they were saved on the infected PC, and update the router's firmware. If other PCs show the same detection, treat them as infected too.
Why didn't my antivirus stop Alureon virus?
New trojan builds are packed and changed often so that signatures do not match, and some are signed with stolen or bought certificates. Many arrive inside password-protected archives, which scanners cannot open until you extract them.
Some downloads also tell the user to turn off the antivirus "because it gives false alarms", a common line in cracked software instructions. Keep real-time protection on, never disable it for an installer, and run the offline scan whenever you suspect something slipped through.
Can a normal remote support program be a backdoor?
Yes. Tools such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer and ScreenConnect are legitimate, but whoever controls the account behind them controls the PC. Scammers install them during fake support calls, and some trojan campaigns install them silently because antivirus programs do not flag a genuine, signed product.
If you find one you did not set up, uninstall it, check Startup apps for related entries and change passwords from another device. If money or accounts were involved, call your bank and report the incident.
Will Fortect remove Alureon virus?
Fortect scans Windows for malware and unwanted programs and repairs the system files and settings they change, and its free scan shows what it finds on your PC before you decide anything.
For Alureon virus, follow the plan above as well: the browser steps take back permissions and settings that no scanner treats as a threat, and uninstalling the program that brought it removes the source.
Run Microsoft Defender's full scan and, if anything was found, its offline scan as a second opinion. If the symptoms are gone after the plan and both scans are clean, there is nothing more to do.
Sources
- Technopedia: Rootkit (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft: Win32/Alureon (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 6, 2026)
