ContraVirus: what it is and how to remove it
ContraVirus is a rogue antispyware that could bring only harm to you and your Windows computer. It is a clone of the illegally distributed VirusBlast rogue and other notorious products.
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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ContraVirus: summary
| Damage | While the defense of your PC is weakened by the rogue tool, hazardous malware could infect it. If you pay for the fake security software, you also lose your money |
|---|---|
| name | ContraVirus |
| Type | Rogue antispyware application |
| Purpose | Scare users into buying the licensed version by showing non-existing threat notifications, error reports, and similar fake notifications |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| 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 6 more facts
| Name | ContraVirus |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | One write-up by a security site; details still limited |
| Program | ContraVirus |
| First seen | 26 April 2021 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
Is ContraVirus a real security program?
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on ContraVirus
- You should completely remove this application with the help of a reliable anti-malware tool
- Restore any damage that the fake security tool caused to your system files and settings by running system diagnostics with the application
How to remove ContraVirus
Nothing it reports is real.
These steps remove it and undo a payment if you made one.
Step 1: Do not pay, and undo a payment if you made one
ContraVirus reports problems to sell a licence: the "threats" or "errors" it lists are invented or harmless leftovers. If you already paid, ask your card issuer to dispute the charge and cancel the subscription both in the seller's account and through your bank.
If you called a phone number it showed and let someone connect, treat the PC as remotely accessed and remove the remote tool. Uninstalling it from Windows 11 or Windows 10 does not cancel a subscription by itself.
Full procedure with screenshots: What to do after paying a scammer
Step 2: Uninstall ContraVirus
Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps in Windows 11, or Settings > Apps > Apps & features in Windows 10. Sort the list by install date and find ContraVirus, then choose Uninstall from the three-dot menu next to it (in Windows 10, click the entry and then Uninstall).
Remove anything else installed on the same day that you do not recognise, because such programs usually arrive together in one installer. If the uninstaller opens a browser page with an offer or a survey, close it: the program is removed either way.
Full procedure with screenshots: Uninstall a program or app in Windows On uGetFix
Step 3: Remove it from startup
Whatever ContraVirus 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
Instructions for each browser and system
The detailed steps for every browser and system this guide covers. Open the one you use.
Manual removal using Safe Mode
Important! →
Manual removal guide might be too complicated for regular computer users. It requires advanced IT knowledge to be performed correctly (if vital system files are removed or damaged, it might result in full Windows compromise), and it also might take hours to complete. Therefore, we highly advise using the automatic method provided above instead.
Step 1. Access Safe Mode with Networking
Manual malware removal should be best performed in the Safe Mode environment.
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
- Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 button (if that does not work, try F2, F12, Del, etc. - it all depends on your motherboard model) multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Windows 10 / Windows 8
- Right-click on Start button and select Settings.
- Scroll down to pick Update & Security.
- On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
- Now scroll down to find Advanced Startup section.
- Click Restart now.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Go to Advanced options.
- Select Startup Settings.
- Press Restart.
- Now press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Step 2. Shut down suspicious processes
Windows Task Manager is a useful tool that shows all the processes running in the background. If malware is running a process, you need to shut it down:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Click on More details.
- Scroll down to Background processes section, and look for anything suspicious.
- Right-click and select Open file location.
- Go back to the process, right-click and pick End Task.
- Delete the contents of the malicious folder.
Step 3. Check program Startup
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open Windows Task Manager.
- Go to Startup tab.
- Right-click on the suspicious program and pick Disable.
Step 4. Delete virus files
Malware-related files can be found in various places within your computer. Here are instructions that could help you find them:
- Type in Disk Cleanup in Windows search and press Enter.
- Select the drive you want to clean (C: is your main drive by default and is likely to be the one that has malicious files in).
- Scroll through the Files to delete list and select the following:
Temporary Internet Files
Downloads
Recycle Bin
Temporary files - Pick Clean up system files.
- You can also look for other malicious files hidden in the following folders (type these entries in Windows Search and press Enter):
%AppData%
%LocalAppData%
%ProgramData%
%WinDir%
After you are finished, reboot the PC in normal mode.
Choose a proper web browser and improve your safety with a VPN tool
Online spying has got momentum in recent years and people are getting more and more interested in how to protect their privacy online.
One of the basic means to add a layer of security - choose the most private and secure web browser. Although web browsers can't grant full privacy protection and security, some of them are much better at sandboxing, HTTPS upgrading, active content blocking, tracking blocking, phishing protection, and similar privacy-oriented features.
However, if you want true anonymity, we suggest you employ a powerful VPN - it can encrypt all the traffic that comes and goes out of your computer, preventing tracking completely.
Lost your files? Use data recovery software
While some files located on any computer are replaceable or useless, others can be extremely valuable.
Family photos, work documents, school projects - these are types of files that we don't want to lose. Unfortunately, there are many ways how unexpected data loss can occur:
- power cuts
- Blue Screen of Death errors
- hardware failures
- crypto-malware attack
- even accidental deletion
To ensure that all the files remain intact, you should prepare regular data backups. You can choose cloud-based or physical copies you could restore from later in case of a disaster. If your backups were lost as well or you never bothered to prepare any, can be your only hope to retrieve your invaluable files.
From our report of Apr 2021 · not reviewed since
ContraVirus – a corrupt, poor performance spyware remover
ContraVirus is a rogue antispyware that could bring only harm to you and your Windows computer.
It is a clone of the illegally distributed VirusBlast rogue and other notorious products. We have carefully tested this fake security tool on several different computers, including immaculate machines and PCs infected with spyware and adware parasites.
Test results revealed that although the program does not produce false positives and actually identifies some malicious parasites, it cannot detect the most widely spread cyber threats and is definitely unable to protect user privacy and system security. Please don't use this product, or if you have it - remove it.
A full system scan performed on a regular modern computer storing hundreds of gigabytes of various data does not take more than 5 minutes. ContraVirus does not check all the files but searches only for known malware, which signatures are in its virus definitions database.
Quick Scan requires even less - only 10 seconds! As you know, currently, there is no such spyware remover capable of thoroughly checking the system so quickly. This means that ContraVirus cannot be trusted. Furthermore, the application refuses to remove any parasites it finds and asks to register and purchase the full version.
Some of its components like SpyWall, Pop-Up Blocker, AntiSpam Filter, and additional plug-ins are also disabled until payment is received. The program's spyware definitions database is outdated, and it doesn't seem to renew as the years go by.
The article's culprit is a clone of VirusBlast. It has a similar interface and consists of analogous components. The official website of the article's culprit is www.contra-virus.com, not that you should visit it or download the rogue antispyware. In fact, please don't do it.
That's how trojan viruses are spread. Please note that no website is able to determine whether your Windows PC is infected with any kind of malware.
This parasite launches excessive amounts of various fabricated security pop-ups. It also generates many dubious error reports, security warnings, and similar messages designed to trick users into buying the full version of the fake security tool.
Please don't purchase ContraVirus! It is a fraud created by cybercriminals to gain money. This application is not a security tool. Moreover, it could install or let through other malware parasites on the infected system, thus further compromising its security and your privacy and safety.
You have to remove it ASAP. To do that safely, you need to reboot your PC in Safe Mode with Networking and perform a full system scan with proper anti-malware tools such as or . If you don't know how to access that mode, please feel free to use our free instructions displayed below.
When the removal is done, it would be wise to take care of the overall system health because ContraVirus might have altered system files to establish persistence, leading to various system failures. Repair the damage your device's system sustained by performing a system tune-up with the software.
Questions about ContraVirus
Is ContraVirus a virus?
Most programs that appear the way ContraVirus did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
ContraVirus came back after I uninstalled it. Why?
Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.
Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If ContraVirus still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.
I entered my card number in ContraVirus. What should I do?
Call your card issuer using the number on the back of the card, report the purchase as fraud and ask for a new card. Ask them to block further charges from the same merchant. Watch your statements for small test charges, which often come before larger ones.
If you used a password on the order page or the same e-mail for the purchase, change that password and expect phishing e-mails that mention the purchase. Your bank can also tell you whether the merchant is linked to other fraud reports.
I let a technician connect to my PC because of ContraVirus. Is it safe now?
Not until you check. While connected, the caller could install other programs, create a user account or look at saved passwords. Disconnect from the internet, uninstall the remote access program and anything else installed during the call, and run a full scan and the Microsoft Defender offline scan.
From another device, change your e-mail and banking passwords and turn on two-step verification. If the caller opened your online banking, call the bank today. A reset of Windows is the safest option if you cannot tell what was done.
Should I reset my PC because of ContraVirus?
Only if the signs point to deeper access. Reset when you see contraVirus in the list of installed apps again after removal, when Windows Security cannot start or update, when remote access tools you did not install keep appearing, or when you simply cannot trust the PC any more.
Otherwise, the plan in this guide plus an offline scan is enough. If you do reset, choose Remove everything and Cloud download for a fresh copy of Windows, restore only documents and photos, and reinstall programs from their official sites. Change important passwords from the clean system afterwards.
ContraVirus has no uninstaller. How do I get rid of it?
Some scareware does not register an uninstaller, or its uninstaller only opens another sales page. In that case, end the program in Task Manager, then go to Task Manager > Startup apps, right-click its entry and choose Open file location to find its folder. Disable the startup entry, restart in Safe Mode and delete the folder.
Check Task Scheduler for tasks with the same name. Finally, run the Microsoft Defender offline scan, which removes remaining files that Microsoft knows about. Restart afterwards and check that nothing named after ContraVirus starts again.
Will the seller of ContraVirus refund me if I ask?
Sometimes, but do not depend on it and do not let them steer the process. If you contact the seller, do it in writing and keep the replies. Never install software, share your screen or give banking details to get a refund.
The more reliable route is your card issuer or PayPal: a chargeback or dispute for a product sold with false claims. If the seller or anyone claiming to represent them calls you first about a refund, treat it as a scam and hang up.
Is ContraVirus a real Windows warning?
No. Real Windows Security notifications appear in the notification area and in the Windows Security app, use Microsoft's design and never ask you to call a phone number or pay to fix anything. What people report is contraVirus in the list of installed apps, drawn by a program that copies the look of a system message.
Open Windows Security from the Start menu to see the real status of your PC. If it shows no threats while the window keeps appearing, the window itself is the problem, and the plan in this guide removes the program that shows it.
I called the number from ContraVirus. What now?
End the call and do not let them reconnect. If they installed a remote-access tool, disconnect the PC from the internet and uninstall that tool from Installed apps. Change passwords for e-mail, banking and anything you typed during the call, using another device.
If you paid, contact the bank today for a chargeback. Report the number to the authorities in your country. The program behind contraVirus in the list of installed apps still needs removing: follow the plan in this guide, then run a full scan in Windows Security.
Will Fortect remove ContraVirus?
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 ContraVirus, 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
- 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)