PsiXBot malware: what it is and how to remove it
PsiXBot malware is a complex virus that relates in personal data theft. The malicious app aims to collect personal information, login data, and cookies from Outlook, FileZilla FTP, and browsers.
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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PsiXBot malware: summary
| Name | PsiXBot malware |
|---|---|
| Type | Malware/trojan |
| Activities | This virtual parasite aims to record keystrokes, monitor browsing activity, steal private data from Outlook, FileZilla FTP, and web browser apps. Also, the malware can log into the user's bank account, swindle money, make bogus transfers, install additional malware, and get the victim involved in sextortion scams by recording a private video of him/her |
| Danger level | Very high. This cyber threat holds a very high danger level because it puts private information in very big damager, it can relate in huge monetary losses, and expose private material about you |
| Spreading | Most commonly, such threats are spread by phishing email messages and their infected attachments. Also, you can get the malware into your computer system through cracked software |
| 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 | A Windows Security "Threats found" notification |
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| First seen | 11 December 2019 |
| Microsoft Defender name | Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What PsiXBot malware does on an infected PC
From our report of Dec 2019 · not reviewed since
PsiXBot malware - a virtual parasite capable of recording passwords from FileZilla FTP, Outlook, and browser apps
PsiXBot malware is a complex virus that relates in personal data theft.
The malicious app aims to collect personal information, login data, and cookies from Outlook, FileZilla FTP, and browsers. Nevertheless, the trojan is able to record keystrokes that allows the criminals to remotely connect to victims' email, banking, social platform accounts and steal information/money that is kept there.
Later on, the malware can misuse all gathered data for illegitimate purposes that allow hackers to benefit from it. Continue reading and learn more about this malware's damaging capabilities.
PsiXBot virus can easily hijack bank accounts while holding needed information, passwords, and other login details. This way the criminals are capable of performing various transfers, payments from the affected account that can result in huge monetary losses. You might encounter payments for services that you have never ordered before.
If PsiXBot malware gets hold on your social platform accounts, the developers might seek to infect your entire friends' list with the malware by sending malicious messages to each contact found. These people can also post something malicious from your personal account and your friends might end up clicking on such content.
Moreover, if PsiXBot malware steals your credentials and private information regarding your identity, the crooks might decide to put the personal data for sale on the dark web market. The price can be anywhere near $10 for one pack of information and the bigger the purchases' number, the larger the benefits are brought.
Continuously, PsiXBot malware might seek to install other virtual parasites to your computer system. While having this infection on your machine, you might end up with another one or two or three. The trojan might be capable of installing ransomware viruses, cryptocurrency miners, or PUPs such as adware, browser hijackers.
To ensure proper functioning, PsiXBot malware installs a process that allows the virus to reactivate itself every one minute. This way the malware authors can be sure that their developed threat is bringing benefit. Additionally, the parasite a specific app on the desktop that provides interaction with the computer screen and allows monitoring various activities.
According to information released by VirusTotal, PsiXBot malware has been detected by 60 AV engines out of the total 71. Some detection names include Win32:ReposFxg-F , Trojan.GenericKDZ.54738, Trojan.Crypt, Trojan.GenericKDZ.54738 (B), Trojan-Banker.Win32.Emotet.coso, Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL, etc.
PsiXBot malware might not show any signs at first but you still can be able to spot some symptoms yourself. As a result of the Trojan infection, you might spot increased CPU usage that can go over 90%, slowly maximizing and minimizing windows, freezing programs, suspicious processes running in the Task Manager, and others.
From our report of Dec 2019 · not reviewed since
PsiXBot malware gets involved in sextortion scamming
PsiXBot malware has been improved multiple times since its release.
Despite the collection of personal data and credentials, this parasite seems to have a new trick upon its sleeve. It is known that the malware has got involved in sextortion scamming and has been targetting random people.
For this purpose, PsiXBot malware records porn-based keywords while monitoring browsing activity and aims to catch the user visiting adult-related websites. Afterward, the virus immediately begins recording a private video and audio of the user while he/she has been visiting the porn site. Then, the recorded data is saved in the .avi file format and transferred to a remote C&C server.
Now criminals can easily blackmail victims by sending them threatening emails. These people claim that they have sensitive material regarding the user "satisfying" himself/herself and in order not to expose such content widely, the victim has to pay a certain ransom price.
Even though this malware can truly record such material, there still is a big chance of getting scammed after paying the price. PsiXBot malware removal might be the best option here.
Even if you pay the price, the criminals might continue blackmailing you and swindling even more money from you. If you ever encounter this type of virus on your computer, you should remove PsiXBot malware right away to avoid all the negative consequences it might bring. Also, if the virus has compromised some system objects on your computer, you can try repairing them with .
From our report of Dec 2019 · not reviewed since
Malware has multiple hiding places
Cybersecurity experts from NoVirus.uk claim that malware can be distributed through multiple places on the cybersphere.
However, most parasites come injected into malicious executables, word documents, or other types of files that are attached to a phishing email message.
Criminals pick random targets and pretend to be writing from reputable healthcare, shipping, or banking organizations. Afterward, the user is somehow encouraged to open the clipped attached where the malicious payload is hidden.
Our tip here would be never to open any attachments without scanning them with reliable antimalware software. Also, always check the sender and if the message falls into your Spam section, you can delete it right away as any type of reputable company will repeatedly try to contact you via mobile phone.
Additionally, malicious components can come injected into software cracks that we download from p2p sources such as The Pirate Bay.
Another way for malware to enter computer systems is via malvertising. Malicious ads might appear looking like normal pop-ups promoting some type of deals. However, if you are ever visiting some third-party website, better have an adblocker protecting you from the rogue approaches.
From our report of Dec 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on PsiXBot malware
- You should opt for the automatical malware removal process only as this is the safest way to do things.
- Install and launch a reliable antimalware program
- If you have found some compromised objects on your system, you can try repairing them with
How to check the PC for PsiXBot malware
If Windows Security shows Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL, it has found PsiXBot malware or a file that belongs to it.
Write the name down before you click Remove: it is the most useful search term later, and you will need it if you report the incident.
A family name in the label is more informative than a heuristic one. Our page on why one threat has many antivirus names lists the common formats and what each part means.
How to remove PsiXBot malware
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: Delete scheduled tasks that bring it back
Programs like PsiXBot malware 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 2: 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 3: 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 PsiXBot malware, its publisher or created on the day the problem started.Delete those folders, and check
C:\Program FilesandC:\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 4: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
A scan finds the parts of PsiXBot malware 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 5: Change passwords from another device and sign out other sessions
PsiXBot malware 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 2019 · not reviewed since
Advanced removal guidelines for PsiXBot malware
- downloading reliable antimalware and letting the program to deal with everything.
Full PsiXBot malware removal requires searching all infected directories which some users might not be capable of. Afterward, you can try fixing the affected objects with the help of a tool such as .
If you see that your antivirus program is struggling to remove PsiXBot malware or the cyber threat cannot be spotted at all, the parasite might be blocking your AV tool. For this purpose, you have to reboot your computer in Safe Mode with Networking or apply the System Restore feature to diminish any malicious changes.
[GI=method-1]To diminish malicious changes on your Windows computer system, boot in Safe Mode with Networking by following these instructing steps:
[GI=method-2]To restore your system settings to their primary states, you have to activate the System Restore feature. Perform such task by applying the following guidelines:
After removal: passwords, accounts and prevention
Your passwords after PsiXBot malware
Removing PsiXBot malware does not undo what it may already have sent out while the PC showed the Windows Security detection Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL.
Treat saved browser passwords and logged-in sessions on this PC as known to the attacker.
From another device, change the e-mail password first and end all its sessions. Then do the same for the bank, PayPal, Microsoft, Google and Apple accounts. Stolen session cookies keep working after a password change until you sign out everywhere.
Move crypto to a new wallet created on a clean device. A step-by-step order for every kind of account is in our guide to account security after an infection.
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 PsiXBot malware
What does the name Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL tell me?
Microsoft builds names in a fixed order:
- category
- then platform
- then family
- sometimes followed by a variant letter
- a suffix
The category is the most useful part for you. Trojan, Backdoor and PWS mean real malware that can download more, give remote access or steal passwords. PUA means unwanted software.
Ransom means ransomware. Suffixes such as !ml or !MTB mean the detection came from machine learning or behaviour analysis. Search for the family part of Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL together with the word Microsoft to find its entry in Microsoft's security encyclopedia.
Should I change my passwords after Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL?
It depends on the category and on whether the file ran. If the name begins with PWS, Spy, Backdoor or Trojan and the file sat in AppData, ProgramData or Temp, assume it ran and change your important passwords from a different device, starting with e-mail, then banking.
Sign out of all sessions too. If Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL is a PUA or was caught in Downloads before you opened anything, a password change is a precaution rather than a must. When in doubt, change the e-mail password and turn on two-step verification; it is quick and protects everything else.
Is Microsoft Defender enough to remove PsiXBot malware?
For most home PCs it is a solid first step. Defender detects this threat as Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL, and a full scan followed by an offline scan covers the places where PsiXBot malware usually hides. The offline scan runs before Windows starts, so malware that hides while Windows is running cannot interfere: Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan.
Defender does not undo everything, though. It does not restore browser settings, decrypt files or change passwords that may have been copied, which is why this guide has separate steps for those. If Defender finds the same item again after removal, something else keeps reinstalling it.
I found AnyDesk or ScreenConnect that I did not install. Is that PsiXBot malware?
Not necessarily PsiXBot malware, but it is a warning sign. These are legitimate remote support tools, and criminals use them as ready-made backdoors, especially after tech support scams or fake invoice calls.
If you did not install it and no one you trust set it up, uninstall it, change passwords from a clean device and check your bank account. If someone connected to your PC through it, follow the steps for remote access trojans and consider a Windows reset. Installed apps sorted by date shows when it appeared.
How do I know if my PC has PsiXBot malware?
Often you do not, which is the point of a trojan. Possible signs are an antivirus alert naming PsiXBot malware or a generic trojan detection, unknown programs or scheduled tasks, processes with random names in Task Manager, browser extensions you did not add, security settings turned off, slower performance, or account alerts about logins from unknown places.
The reliable check is a full scan followed by Microsoft Defender's offline scan. If you recently ran a crack, a fake installer or a command a website told you to paste, scan even without symptoms.
Is PsiXBot malware a known trojan?
Not as a documented family, at least not yet. What is known is the visible sign, the Windows Security detection Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL, which matches a hidden program working for someone else.
New threats are often seen by victims weeks before researchers publish anything about them. Treat PsiXBot malware as you would any trojan:
- remove what starts it
- run an offline scan
- change passwords from another device
If a scan reports a detection name, keep it; it usually reveals the family and whether it is known to download other malware. We update this guide when an analysis appears.
Do I need to reinstall Windows to get rid of PsiXBot malware?
Usually not. A thorough clean-up is enough when the offline scan finds nothing afterwards and you do not see the Windows Security detection Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL 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 PsiXBot malware?
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 the Windows Security detection Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL?
Not on that PC until it is clean. A program that produces the Windows Security detection Trojan:Win32/SmokeLoader.YL 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 PsiXBot malware?
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 PsiXBot malware, 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
- Virus Total: 60 engines detected this file (read October 6, 2026)
- Threat Post: PsiXBot Adds PornModule, Google DNS Service to Its Arsenal (read October 6, 2026)
- Computer World: What's a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Network? (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)