Healthy.exe virus (Free Guide)
Healthy.exe virus Removal Guide
What is Healthy.exe virus?
Healthy.exe virus has come to the surface after a few users installed “cracked” video games
A newly discovered virus may be a crypto miner
Healthy.exe recently surfaced as a potential threat. It is still unknown exactly what it does in the users' systems. Some suggested that it is a crypto miner that uses the computer's recourses to mine cryptocurrencies in the background. Others say that it may be a variant of Bloom adware in which case it would cause an increased amount of commercial content, like pop-ups, banners, and redirects.
However, users have not yet noticed any particular symptoms which could suggest that it is a Trojan. These types of viruses do not start showing symptoms immediately. They can cause the system to slow down, and crash. It may steal data, track sessions, etc. We suggest reading our guide fully to find out what to do if you found Healthy.exe on your computer.
NAME | Healthy.exe |
TYPE | Trojan, crypto miner, or adware |
SYMPTOMS | No symptoms are noticeable |
DISTRIBUTION | Software bundling; Torrent websites; “cracked” software installations |
DANGERS | The virus may use the PC's resources to mine cryptocurrencies; redirect users to dangerous sites and display ads, or steal data |
ELIMINATION | Follow our removal guide for detailed instructions. Performing a system scan with anti-malware tools is recommended |
FURTHER STEPS | Protect your privacy and fix any remaining damage with a maintenance tool FortectIntego |
Distribution methods
PUPs (potentially unwanted programs)[1] usually spread through unsafe download sources. Some users that noticed the Healthy.exe virus, said that they recently installed games from a website that distributes game “cracks.” The site claims that all files they offer were thoroughly checked, so they are completely safe.
However, these sites and their owners cannot be trusted. Torrent websites,[2] peer-to-peer file sharing, and freeware[3] platforms are the most frequent places where people get infected. They have to make money somehow, so they often hide bundled software in the installers that monetize user activity.
Even though it may get costly to purchase every single game, and program, you may save in the long run by keeping your system running smoothly. Malicious programs often scatter their files across the system to make them more difficult to remove completely. A lot of times, users need to reinstall their systems to get rid of the threat.
We strongly recommend implementing some habits during the installation process. Always choose the “Custom” or “Advanced” installation methods, read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. The most important step is to check the file list and untick the boxes next to any unrelated applications.
Malware infections often appear after software installations from unsafe sources
Shut down the suspicious process
The first thing you should do if you are infected by the Healthy.exe virus is terminate the process. You should see a process in the Task Manager with the same name or a similar one. Follow the instructions below:
- 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.
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.
Remove Healthy.exe from your system
Manual removal of PUPs may not always work, as you can uninstall the program itself, but leave some related files behind. That is why we suggest using professional security tools like SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes in this instance. These anti-malware tools will completely eliminate the application with all of its files and registries.
It is also recommended to run a scan with anti-malware tools because if you use torrent websites, peer-to-peer file-sharing, freeware platforms, or other unsecured download sources it is very likely that you have more than one PUP hiding in your machine.
However, if you still want to do this yourself, you can follow the guide below:
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Repair the damaged operating system
Performance, stability, and usability issues, to the point where a full Windows reinstall is required, are nothing unusual after a virus infection. These types of intruders can alter the Windows registry database, damage vital bootup, and other sections, delete or corrupt DLL files, etc. Once a system file is damaged, antivirus software cannot fix it.
Manual troubleshooting of such damage is also very complicated and can take a long time. This is why FortectIntego was developed. It can fix a lot of the damage caused by an infection like this. Blue Screen errors, freezes, registry errors, damaged DLLs, etc., can make your computer completely unusable. By using this actually useful maintenance tool, you could prevent yourself from having to reinstall WIndows completely.
- Download the application by clicking on the link above
- Click on the ReimageRepair.exe
- If User Account Control (UAC) shows up, select Yes
- Press Install and wait till the program finishes the installation process
- The analysis of your machine will begin immediately
- Once complete, check the results – they will be listed in the Summary
- You can now click on each of the issues and fix them manually
- If you see many problems that you find difficult to fix, we recommend you purchase the license and fix them automatically.
If you experience setting changes in your browsers, like the homepage, new tab address, redirects, or push notifications, you can look for instructions on how to deal with that below this article. Guides are available for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and MS Edge.
Getting rid of Healthy.exe virus. Follow these steps
Remove from Google Chrome
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data…
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
How to prevent from getting trojans
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 Private Internet Access 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, Data Recovery Pro can also help to recover at least some portion of your data after data-locking virus infection or general cyber infection.
- ^ Potentially unwanted program. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ Charlie Osborne. Torrent websites infect 12 million users a month with malware. Zdnet. News Source.
- ^ Tales From the SOC: Dealing with the Dangers of Freeware. Infosecurity. Technology Insights.