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  • Active
  • Severity: High
  • Keyloggers
  • Windows
  • Verified · Dec 2018

How to remove Ardamax Keylogger

A step-by-step removal guide for affected devices. Follow the verified procedure below — most readers complete it in under 10 minutes.

Ugnius Kiguolis · The mastermind

Ardamax Keylogger – a tool used for capturing any kind of information you type on your keyboard

Ardamax Keylogger

Ardamax Keylogger virus is a program that causes malevolent activity[1] because it is designed to record users' keystrokes using legitimate Ardamax software. Though it has been created for professional processes, cyber villains took a liking of the program. Even if you download the program from its official site, detecting the tool might be troublesome. Since it has a Hidden Mode, crooks make use of this functionality to disguise the activities of the program and record your keystrokes. The latest version costs more than 60€ and allows the admin to see every keystroke on the targeted system, capture chats, use visual surveillance, or even use the microphone to record audio. However, the program manages to hide and silently monitor the victim’s computer activity without being detected.

Name Ardamax Keylogger
Type Keylogger
Variants detected by AV
  • Win32/KeyLogger. Ardamax;
  • ArdamaxKeylogger;
  • Not-A-Virus.Monitor.Win32.Ardamax.24;
  • Generic. Ardamax.AF22012B;
  • not-a-virus:Monitor.Win32.Ardamax.24;
  • Win32:Ardamax-B.
Category Malicious software
Symptoms Monitors various activity, captures keyboard inputs
Distribution Program developers
Main danger Collects various account credentials which can be used in later scams
Elimination Use FortectIntego for a full system cleaning

Once installed, it adds an IJE.exe file to %APPDATA% folder, also akv.exe and QXI.exe files to %PROGRAMFILES% directory. In addition, you may notice two Winlogon.exe processes. Though ending the task of the legitimate command may lead to severe system issues, it is not recommended to cancel the task as determining which command is genuine might be confusing.

This is a spying and tracking program promoted as a useful tool that claims to offer affordable services. This tool is allegedly compact and powerful, a flexible keylogger that operates in the background. Instead, it runs on your computer and uses resources of the device while recording keystrokes and collecting them on a remote server. 

Ardamax Keylogger malware can record:

  • instant messages;
  • emails;
  • anything you type in using your keyboard;
  • URLs;
  • websites you visit;
  • email addresses;
  • passwords and logins.

If you cannot detect the program, but suspect the unwanted presence or your email account passwords have been changed, you can use anti-virus or anti-rootkit tools to detect the software. For instance, Kaspersky anti-virus tool may help you identify you it, while certain anti-rootkit tools created by Malwarebytes company assists in getting rid of the malware. You may also find FortectIntego useful in performing Ardamax Keylogger malware removal. The screenshot of Ardamax keylogger

Once someone installs this program on your computer, most likely you will not be able to see it in Windows Task Manager or Programs menu because the program manages to disappear from these locations. This program violates your privacy and sends comprehensive logs to the person that monitors it. This tool might be used against you by your mistrustful second half, employer, or parents.

What is worse, it is almost impossible to understand that a computer is being monitored by such programs because it shows no signs of existence. The only signs that can reveal someone’s bad intentions are their know-too-much talks or noticeable system slowdowns.

If you suspect that someone has installed this keylogger on your system, remove Ardamax Keylogger with an anti-malware tool like FortectIntego or MalwarebytesMalwarebytes. To remove it, start your PC in a Safe Mode with Networking first. If you do not know how to reboot your PC in this mode, follow Ardamax removal instructions provided below. Ardamax Keylogger virus

Spyware infiltration can be avoided

Keyloggers are not viruses, and they do not self-replicate without users' consent, in most cases. This tool is a paid program that can be downloaded from its official website. To reach your computer system, it needs to be installed manually. So if you discovered this tracking software on your system, you should think about people who have access to your computer.

One of them probably was trying to find answers to questions they didn’t want to ask you directly. You should definitely talk to such people, but first of all, delete this keylogger from the system to terminate its activity. However, you can use an anti-malware program and scan your device more frequently to avoid cyber infiltrations and even malware like this keylogger. 

Unfortunately, there is an opportunity that malware like this is distributed online via malicious documents as spam email attachments. Microsoft Office documents often get infected with malicious macros.[2] The minute user downloads and opens this file on the device, malicious payload is installed on the system.

Eliminate Ardamax Keylogger using our tips

Although the attacker can set the key combination that launches the keylogger, we suggest you try this combination: CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+H[3]. The official developer also promotes its specific tool to remove Ardamax keylogger. You might try it as well. This way, you might successfully open the program and find out where it sends the collected information.

You should find an email address that receives log files filled with data about you and your activities online. However, if you cannot launch the program this way but you still believe that the system is infected with this keylogger, you should read Ardamax removal instructions provided below the article and prepare the machine for the elimination of this shady program. All users, not only US or PRC[4] residents, should be wary of keyloggers.

To remove Ardamax virus, we suggest using anti-malware tools because it is hard to find such program that is programmed to stay hidden and spy on the user as long as possible.


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13 comments

  1. Guest

    This is weird...I ran xoftspy, it sees the ardamax but it won't register it as a spyware. I searched for the akl.exe and the dll but it's not on my system...what's going on here?

  2. Guest

    I had exactly the same problem with Ardamax Keylogger and Xoftspy - it "sees" it but fails to identify it as a threat or remove it. I wound up reimaging my hard drive.

    I am preplexed as to how it entered my system since I am running Norton Internet Security, Xoftspy, and Spybot Search & Destroy. All are updated weekly.

  3. nave

    my home is a very slowly

    why did it?

  4. Guest

    It might be one of your "friends" who have installed the ardamax keylogger to your computer. TRUST NO ONE!

  5. Homer265

    Lolz, the Ardamax Keylogger that may be reading what im typing is noob...
    I've been warned it is very stealthy, and I want to be really sure It is gone...
    So ill do what it says. =D

  6. 26benjamin

    For me, the key comnination is Ctrl-Alt-Shift-H which brings it up in the task bar.

    Another way of removing it is to download the software from their website (free version), one of the included .exe files is an uninstaller

  7. Roger

    for me, only snapshot is updating rather than keystrokes. How do i make changes to get keystrokes logs?

  8. Chris

    This could of happened when you installed a program you downloaded it from the internet
    Ardamax has a feature to bind it to another file, so when you run the file that it was binded to, it silently installs along with the file your using

  9. Parigyan

    The hotkey to open Ardamax Keylogger 3.9 is ctrl+shift+alt+h, and ardamax keylogger hides the processes.And it is created in a folder like CSJ .

    Source: my own experience

  10. Sean

    After finally getting rid of ardamax 3.9 how do I enable my profile settings again that the program turned off. When I try to install a new program I get a error that says I dont have permission. ( I am logged on as admin. ) Every time I open Google it says it cannot find my profile. ANY HELP???

  11. Ian kenneth from PH

    if you already uninstalled it... then after restarting your computer it is installed again...

    you need to go to. C:, windows, system32, look for a folder named "MAIWEQ"
    it is disguised... i destroyed it my self... after deleting this f......! folder...

  12. akcteam

    bring back my crossfire account

  13. Vasko

    Anyone having problems with ardamax uninstalation process can simply visit the official site and search in it for the ardamax uninstall tool. it is free and does a great job. After using it, just restart. For all others trying to do it manually, you should know that every version of ardamax has its own name and creates its own instalation folder. I mean that version 3.9 creates a folder like MAIWEQ, and 4.0 creates completely different one. Also the .exe file have different names every time you install the keylogger. So using the official uninstall tool from the www.ardamax.com site is the best option so far.

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