How to remove Amanda Trojan

Amanda – a dangerous backdoor trojan which gives control of your computer to hackers

Amanda is a virus which belongs to the backdoor trojan category^[1]. It infiltrates the system as a drive-by download or via malicious executables enabled by the user. The malware is capable of giving full control of the user's computer through a remote server and also deactivate or prevent security software from working. The trojan can inflict various damaging actions to the user, like stealing personal data while remaining silent on the system. What is more, the virus can deny the user control, which makes the machine inaccessible.

As long as this sneaky trojan is in your system, it will mess up and modify various settings in your PC. According to research, the Windows Task Manager is used to perform various actions^[2]. Nevertheless, it can inject unwanted software and other malware without your notice. In order to avoid further damage, better hurry up an remove Amanda virus from your computer. Consider using an anti-malware tool – we recommend FortectIntego. 

While running various activity behind your back, the trojan might slow down your computer processing power as it will be overloaded by multiple malicious processes running in the background – that is another reason to proceed with Amanda removal. Although the virus might give you troubles while you try to eliminate it (for example, you might have to boot security software in Safe Mode), it will be worth it in the end.

Although trojan rarely emit any symptoms, some of these may be present: 

• Increased CPU usage;
• Increased amount of pop-up ads;
• Emails, social media messages and similar are sent in your name;
• Software crashes or freezes;
• Added/removed applications;
• Overall slow PC operation.

Although the Amanda trojan can cause multiple damaging actions to your software, one of the main dangerous features is the information harvesting. The malicious program can record all your keystrokes, steal passwords from all online accounts, as well as obtain your bank account login details. This allows crooks to take money directly from your bank account, or sell the valuable personal information on the Dark Web.

Trojans spread widely through the Internet

According to IT professionals^[3], backdoor trojans can spread in more than one way:

• Spam emails. This is the most prominent malware distribution method. Hackers often employ bots to send out a large number of phishing emails to victims with the intention to populate malicious payload. As soon as the user opens the deceptive file (many formats may be used – .doc, .xlsx, .html, .pdf, .txt, etc.) or clicks on the fake hyperlink, the malware is injected into the device right away.
• Drive-by downloads. Users can inject their computers with malware by visiting dubious websites. It does not mean, however, that they were visited intentionally – redirects can lead here. Therefore, try to avoid suspicious sites, such as pornographic, file-sharing, and others.
• System vulnerabilities. Hackers can abuse bugs in software and use exploit kits to inject malware directly into the machine. Fortunately, software developers often release patches to fix vulnerabilities and make the program secure. Therefore, it is vital to download updates as soon as they are available.
• Fake updates and other fraudulent messages. Speaking about updates, there were millions of cases when victims got tricked into downloading malware by genuinely-looking software updates. For example, Adobe Flash is continuously releasing new patches, and users are used to downloading them often. However, setting updates to “Automatic” setting can prevent users from clicking on fake updates.

Delete Amanda and save your computer system

To remove Amanda virus from your PC, consider downloading an anti-malware tool. We advise using programs such as FortectIntego, SpyHunterCombo Cleaner, or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes. These cleaning tools will help you get rid of the cyber threat if installed properly. The anti-malware will show you some guidance which will lead you through the process.

After you take care of the Amanda removal, make sure you keep security software on at all times (real-time protection feature must be enabled, as it can block malicious files before they enter the computer).