Trojan.AOL.WAOL (Virus Removal Guide) - Free Instructions
Trojan.AOL.WAOL Removal Guide
What is Trojan.AOL.WAOL?
Trojan.AOL.WAOL is a Trojan horse which operates under the name of the legitimate America Online telecommunications company
Trojan.AOL.WAOL is a virus which is also categorized as a Trojan horse. This malicious program disguises under the name of AOL (America Online) company which is an online service provider. Additionally, it might contain waol.exe executable file which is a part of the AOL user interface and allows users to log into AOL network. Usually, people cannot identify it as a potentially dangerous program as it hides deep inside the system and uses the name of a legitimate company.
| Name | Trojan.AOL.WAOL |
|---|---|
| Type | Trojan horse |
| Danger level | High |
| Distribution | It might be distributed via suspicious P2P file-sharing sites, malvertising, and malicious spam emails |
| Symptoms | Users can notice waol.exe process running in the Task Manager and exploiting an excessive amount of computing power |
| Potential dangers | This program might log keystrokes, provide remote access to the infected system and steal credentials or other sensitive data |
| Removal | Inexperienced computer users are advised to uninstall Trojan.AOL.WAOL with a professional security tool, like FortectIntego |
The WAOL part of Trojan.AOL.WAOL stands for Windows America Online Launcher. This Trojan horse spreads in multiple different ways, including malvertising, malicious spam emails, and peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. According to the analysis, the application might make numerous copies of itself in the following directories:
- \Windows
- \Windows\System
Additionally, the developers of Trojan.AOL.WAOL have programmed it to run at the startup each time the user turns on the computer. However, since these type of infections are created using Visual Basic[1] programming language, they will only operate on systems with specific Dynamic-link libraries (.DLLs)[2]. Although, all users are advised to scan their computers with a reliable antivirus for safety.
Experts warn that Trojan.AOL.WAOL is a potentially dangerous program which might copy and save your keystrokes, desktop screen, and mouse movements. Such activity is performed since hackers behind the infection aim to steal credit card details and other personal information to generate illegal profits.
Furthermore, there is a substantial risk that Trojan.AOL.WAOL virus could provide remote access to the infected system for the criminals. In case it happens, hackers could perform the following activity with the help of this Trojan horse:
- Read, copy, or delete AOL mail;
- Access and send AOL Instant Messages;
- Browse through the members of AOL;
- Infiltrate the system with other malicious programs for more damage.
It is essential to remove Trojan.AOL.WAOL as soon as you notice its presence. Since novice computer users do not have the necessary experience to detect this malicious program by themselves, experts recommend using a professional security software at all times and update it regularly.
Also, if the antivirus identifies this malicious program on the system, it will take care of Trojan.AOL.WAOL removal immediately. For this reason, it is the best option when trying to protect your PC from various cyber threats. Our top recommendation is FortectIntego.
Users should be attentive online if they want to avoid Trojan infections
Distribution of malicious programs is based on the credulity of computer users. In other terms, most people tend to click on various suspicious online ads and download software from shady websites carelessly. Likewise, a vast of Trojan horses a distributed with the help of malvertising or on peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing sites.
Usually, AOL Trojan can infect the system via deceptive online ad — once clicked, bogus scripts activate an automatic installation of the malicious program on the system. Therefore, experts advise users to stay away from all commercial content which is not reliable.
Furthermore, people tend to download software cracks or music illegally on shady websites from other online users. Unfortunately, criminals take advantage of inexperienced people and disguise malicious programs under the appearance and name of the legitimate software. Thus, people unexpectedly download the virus.
For this reason, you should take the following precautionary measures to avoid AOL.Trojan:
- Always use a reputable security software and make sure it is up-to-date;
- Download and install software only from authorized websites;
- Refrain from clicking on online ads or surveys;
The professional anti-malware will help you get rid of Trojan.AOL.WAOL
Trojan.AOL.WAOL virus is designed to not only place and hide its components and copies in multiple folders on the system but also modify registry keys to run automatically every time the computer is turned on. Thus, there is a strong risk that regular PC users won't be able to get rid of this cyber threat on their own.
NoVirus.uk[3] team says that the best way to remove Trojan.AOL.WAOL is to get help from a reputable and robust antivirus. You should download the security software from the official website and let it scan your computer files. Professional tools contain regularly updated virus databases which help them to terminate Trojan horses effectively.
For Trojan.AOL.WAOL removal we highly recommend using FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner, or Malwarebytes. These security applications are easy to use and offer full protection from the malicious programs as well as clean the computer from potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) and improve its performance.
Getting rid of Trojan.AOL.WAOL. Follow these steps
Manual removal using Safe Mode
If you notice Trojan.AOL.WAOL operating on your system, the first thing to do is to boot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking as shown below.
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.
Remove Trojan.AOL.WAOL using System Restore
Another way to reboot your system to Safe Mode is to use Command Prompt:
-
Step 1: Reboot your computer to Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Windows 7 / Vista / XP- Click Start → Shutdown → Restart → OK.
- When your computer becomes active, start pressing F8 multiple times until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
-
Select Command Prompt from the list
Windows 10 / Windows 8- Press the Power button at the Windows login screen. Now press and hold Shift, which is on your keyboard, and click Restart..
- Now select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings and finally press Restart.
-
Once your computer becomes active, select Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt in Startup Settings window.
-
Step 2: Restore your system files and settings
-
Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter.
-
Now type rstrui.exe and press Enter again..
-
When a new window shows up, click Next and select your restore point that is prior the infiltration of Trojan.AOL.WAOL. After doing that, click Next.
-
Now click Yes to start system restore.
-
Once the Command Prompt window shows up, enter cd restore and click Enter.
Finally, you should always think about the protection of crypto-ransomwares. In order to protect your computer from Trojan.AOL.WAOL and other ransomwares, use a reputable anti-spyware, such as FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes
How to prevent from getting trojans
Protect your privacy – employ a VPN
There are several ways how to make your online time more private – you can access an incognito tab. However, there is no secret that even in this mode, you are tracked for advertising purposes. There is a way to add an extra layer of protection and create a completely anonymous web browsing practice with the help of Private Internet Access VPN. This software reroutes traffic through different servers, thus leaving your IP address and geolocation in disguise. Besides, it is based on a strict no-log policy, meaning that no data will be recorded, leaked, and available for both first and third parties. The combination of a secure web browser and Private Internet Access VPN will let you browse the Internet without a feeling of being spied or targeted by criminals.
No backups? No problem. Use a data recovery tool
If you wonder how data loss can occur, you should not look any further for answers – human errors, malware attacks, hardware failures, power cuts, natural disasters, or even simple negligence. In some cases, lost files are extremely important, and many straight out panic when such an unfortunate course of events happen. Due to this, you should always ensure that you prepare proper data backups on a regular basis.
If you were caught by surprise and did not have any backups to restore your files from, not everything is lost. Data Recovery Pro is one of the leading file recovery solutions you can find on the market – it is likely to restore even lost emails or data located on an external device.
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- ^ Visual Basic. Computer Hope. Free Computer Help.
- ^ Dynamic-link library. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia.
- ^ NoVirus. NoVirus. Security and Spyware News.