iTranslator: what it is and how to remove it
iTranslator virus is a dangerous trojan that was discovered by Fortinet security experts and is designed to infiltrate Windows-based systems and monitor browsing activities on Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and other browsers. Trojans usually infiltrate machines with the help of various deceptive methods, including phishing websites, spam emails, file-sharing sites, repacked installers, etc.
Facts checked October 7, 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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ITranslator: summary
| Name | iTranslator |
|---|---|
| Type | Malware/trojan |
| Infiltration | Malicious downloads, fake updates |
| Main executable | itranslator_02.exe |
| Purpose | Controls Windows machine and monitors users' browsing activities, redirects to specific sites |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| 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 7 more facts
| 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 | itranslator_02.exe and %WINDIR%\iTranslator |
| First seen | 13 December 2018 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
What iTranslator does on an infected PC
From our report of Dec 2018 · not reviewed since
iTranslator virus is a man-in-the-middle malware that is capable of controlling Windows systems
iTranslator virus is a dangerous trojan that was discovered by Fortinet security experts and is designed to infiltrate Windows-based systems and monitor browsing activities on Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and other browsers.
Trojans usually infiltrate machines with the help of various deceptive methods, including phishing websites, spam emails, file-sharing sites, repacked installers, etc. The main malware executable is itranslator_02.exe (which is signed by an invalid certificate that expired in 2015), although it is also known as itransppa.exe, itranslator20041_se.exe, itransVes.exe, and Setup.exe.
Once the exe file is opened, iTranslator malware creates itranslator folder in the Program files directory, and places wintrans.exe inside. Virus automatically executes the wintrans.exe file and actively communicates with C&C server and installs two divers: OpenSCManagerA and CreateServiceA.
The wintrans.exe file also executes iTranslator file directly into the Windows folder, which is then protected by VMProtect packer. For that reason, iTranslator malware removal can be quite complicated. However, using reputable anti-virus solutions should be able to help you get rid of the threat.
To ensure persistence, iTranslator malware creates the registry subkey, ensuring that the virus loads with every system boot. Next, the malware downloads iTranslator.dll file that can be used for 32-bit and 64-bit operating system, places it in the same directory as wintrans.exe, and performs the following actions:
The whole project was based on a NetFilter SDK (a legitimate network filtering toolkit), and iTranslator virus uses its certificate to avoid detection. This is when man-in-the-middle comes into play: the interception is done secretly. None of the browsers will prevent the execution because Sample CA 2.cer is in the trusted Root Certificate Authorities list.
iTranslator can modify the packet content on both HTTPS and HTTP requests with the help of a man-in-the-middle attack. Additionally, Javascript is inserted and, as soon as the browser receives the response, it is executed to perform more malicious activities.
As soon as iTranslator malware fully establishes, users who visit regular websites like Facebook are redirected to advert-filled sites which promote various deals, offers, coupons and similar. Furthermore, users may land on a phishing website, which can prompt them to download and install bogus software.
To remove iTranslator virus, you will have to enter Safe Mode with Networking, and either get rid of the malware manually or scan it with reputable security engine. After the elimination is complete, security experts recommend using or repair the system.
- Loads the net filter driver
- Communicates with both drivers
- Injects the SSL certificate without users' knowledge
- Follows web traffic
From our report of Dec 2018 · not reviewed since
Beware of executables, even if they look legitimate
We cannot stress enough about the downloading and clicking on executable files.
Remember, ANY executable can be malware, even if it has a legitimate name. Therefore, it is highly recommended avoiding dodgy third-party websites that host cracked software, illegal keygens, and similar pirated stuff.
If you are willing to risk, however, you can do it much more safely if you scan each executable with security software before opening it. There is a high chance that it will recognize the threat and warn you.
Another malware distribution technique is via the backdoor. Some modules are capable of automatically downloading and installing additional malicious files without users' permission. In such a case, the machine can be compromised even more, and such threats as ransomware can end up on your machine.
How to check the PC for iTranslator
- Path:
%WINDIR%\iTranslator - File:
itranslator_02.exe
How to remove iTranslator
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 itranslator_02.exe runs from and stop it
In Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) find
itranslator_02.exeon Processes, right-click it and choose Open file location before ending anything.Windows' own files live in
C:\Windows\System32; the same name in%AppData%, %Temp% or C:\Users\Public is an impostor. If the folder is wrong, right-click the process again, choose End task and delete the file.If it starts again within seconds, a task or another process restarts it, so run the scan step in Safe Mode. Task Manager works 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
Programs like iTranslator add a scheduled task so they return after an uninstall or reopen a page at every sign-in. Start Task Scheduler, open Task Scheduler Library and sort by Last Run Time to see what ran recently.
On the Actions tab, a program in a user folder, a script or a web address is a warning sign; right-click such a task and choose Delete.
Tasks with names copying Google, Edge or Windows updaters but pointing to an odd folder are typical. The tool looks 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
Step 3: Remove it from startup
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and select Startup apps (Windows 11) or the Startup tab (Windows 10). Disable entries you do not recognise, especially ones with no publisher or with a name that copies a Windows component.
Right-click an entry and choose Open file location to see where it runs from: programs in
%AppData%or%Temp%deserve a closer look. Some entries are not listed there but in the registry Run keys, which the procedure below shows how to check.Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 4: Delete the folders left behind
Uninstalling often leaves the program's folders, and some threats reinstall themselves from them.
Press Windows + R, type
%LocalAppData%and press Enter, then do the same for%AppData%and %ProgramData%, and look for folders named after iTranslator, its publisher or created on the day the problem started. Delete those folders, and check C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86) too.If Windows says a file is in use, end it in Task Manager or delete the folder after a restart in Safe Mode. The folders are the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of iTranslator that the manual steps cannot see. In Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, start a Full scan and quarantine what it reports.
Follow it with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) > Scan now, which restarts the PC and checks the disk while Windows and the malware are not running.
It takes about 15 minutes and works the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If either scan finds something, run the full scan again after removal until it comes back clean.
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
ITranslator can copy saved passwords, cookies and session tokens and send them out in seconds, so cleaning the PC does not undo the theft.
Change your passwords on a device that was never infected, starting with the e-mail account, since every other reset goes through it. On each account, end all other sessions and check the recovery e-mail, phone number and forwarding rules.
Then turn on two-step verification. Sign in on the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC again only after the offline scan is clean.
Full procedure with screenshots: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account
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.
From our report of Dec 2018 · not reviewed since
Remove iTranslator malware from your machine
To remove iTranslator virus from your computer entirely, you will have to enter Safe Mode with Networking, as explained below.
Once in the safe mode, download and install reputable security tool and run a full system scan. The anti-malware should be able to take care of everything automatically. If not, you should try different options - there are plenty of reputable software available.
Note that each vendor relies on databases that are continually updated. However, it might take time before each vendor includes the new malware into their database. Hence, some AV engines might not detect the threat.
While not recommended, you can opt for manual iTranslator virus removal (novice users should stay away from this method). Here's what to do:
[GI=method-1]To eliminate iTranslator malware, enter Safe Mode with Networking:
[GI=method-2]You can also try System Restore to stop the virus:
- Enter Safe Mode as explained below
- Delete the following files: %WINDIR%\iTranslator, %WINDIR%\system32\iTranslator.dll
- Delete the following folders: %WINDIR%\nss, %WINDIR%\SSL, %ProgramData%\itranslator
- Delete subkeys: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\iTranslatorSvc, HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\NetfilterSvc
- Remove Sample CA 2 certificate from all browsers
After removal: passwords, accounts and prevention
Secure your accounts after the clean-up
Assume that whatever was saved in the browsers on this PC while the PC showed an unfamiliar process called itranslator_02.exe in Task Manager has been copied:
- passwords
- cookies
- autofill data
Work from a clean device, or from this PC once the offline scan finds nothing.
Start with your main e-mail account, because it can reset everything else, then banking and payment, then social and gaming accounts. Change each password, sign out of all sessions and turn on two-step verification: Turn on two-step verification / secure a hacked account.
The full order, including crypto wallets and card replacement, is in securing your accounts after malware.
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.
Questions about iTranslator
Is itranslator_02.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 itranslator_02.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 end itranslator_02.exe in Task Manager?
Ending an unknown process is safe in the sense that Windows will warn you before you close anything critical, and a restart brings back whatever Windows needs. Ending itranslator_02.exe will not remove it, though: if a task or startup entry launches it, it returns at the next sign-in.
Use ending the process as a test. If something important stops working, it belonged to a program you use. If nothing changes and it comes back by itself, find and disable its starter, delete the file and scan the PC.
Is itranslator_02.exe a virus?
If it sits outside the Windows and Program Files folders and your antivirus links it to iTranslator, yes. itranslator_02.exe is the file name used by this trojan. Some trojans borrow the names of real Windows components, so the name alone does not decide it:
- right-click the process in Task Manager
- choose Open file location
- look at the folder and the publisher under Properties > Details
A file in a user folder with no publisher is the trojan. Do not delete it by hand while it runs; use the offline scan in the plan above.
My antivirus was on. How did a trojan get past it?
Antivirus programs see a file only when it is written or run, and criminals test each new build against popular scanners before release. Detection catches up within hours or days, which is often after the first victims ran it.
Archives with passwords, installers that fetch the malware later, and scripts run through PowerShell make the job harder. That is why behaviour such as downloading cracks or pasting commands matters more than any setting. Keep Windows and Defender updated, and turn on Reputation-based protection in App & browser control.
Which malware family is iTranslator?
That is not known yet. ITranslator has been reported by people who saw an unfamiliar process called itranslator_02.exe in Task Manager, but no sample has been analysed publicly, so security companies have not assigned it to a family. The name you see may be a file or program name chosen by the authors, not a family name.
This does not stop you from removing it: the startup points, the offline scan and the account steps are the same for most families of this type. If Microsoft Defender or another scanner gives the file a detection name, write it down; that name is the best clue to the family and is useful when you report the incident.
Should I check my other computers too?
Yes, it takes little time and removes doubt. ITranslator itself usually stays on one PC, but the download that carried it may have been copied to other computers, shared drives may hold the same installer, and an attacker who had access could have tried saved passwords on other devices.
Run a full scan on every Windows PC in the home or office, check shared folders for the original download, and change Wi-Fi and router passwords if they were stored on the infected machine.
Do I need to reinstall Windows to get rid of iTranslator?
Usually not. A thorough clean-up is enough when the offline scan finds nothing afterwards and you do not see an unfamiliar process called itranslator_02.exe in Task Manager again. A reset is the safer choice if an attacker had remote control, if security tools were switched off, or if detections come back after every clean-up.
Windows 11 can reset itself without a USB stick under Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC. Copy documents and photos out first and scan the copies. A reset does not change passwords or undo stolen data, so the account steps still apply.
Should I report iTranslator?
Report it if you lost money, if accounts were taken over, if you are a business, or if the trojan came through a scam call. A police or national cybercrime report gives you a reference number for your bank and insurer and helps link cases.
You do not need to report a trojan that antivirus blocked before it ran. Before reporting, write down the dates, the detection name, file names and any messages or transactions linked to the attack; screenshots of antivirus alerts are useful evidence. The country list is in the report section above.
Is it safe to do online banking after seeing an unfamiliar process called itranslator_02.exe in Task Manager?
Not on that PC until it is clean. A program that produces an unfamiliar process called itranslator_02.exe in Task Manager runs with your rights and could read what you type or what the browser shows. Use a phone or another computer for banking and for changing passwords.
When the offline scan of the affected PC is clean and nothing suspicious starts with Windows any more, you can go back to using it. Check your bank statements for the past weeks either way, and call the bank if anything looks unfamiliar; banks can block cards and reset access quickly.
Will Fortect remove iTranslator?
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 iTranslator, 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
- Fortinet: Deep Analysis of a Driver-Based MITM Malware: iTranslator (read October 7, 2026)
- Norton: What is a man-in-the-middle attack? (read October 7, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 7, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: How Microsoft names malware (read October 7, 2026)