Trojan.WIN32.PDF.Alien.gen: what it is and how to remove it

From our report of Oct 2021 · not reviewed since

Trojan.WIN32.PDF.Alien.gen is a malicious program for Windows that might sneak into your PC without warning

PDF.Alien.gen is a Trojan that users might see flagged by their security applications.

As evident by the name itself, it spreads via booby-trapped PDF files, typically downloaded as spam email attachments. Likewise, Trojans are also commonly spread via other methods, including illegal software distribution sites.

Trojans are versatile computer infections - it's more of an umbrella term, as the functionality of malware itself can vary greatly. For example, it may steal personal information by recording keystrokes, proliferate other malware, corrupt system files, or simply destroy everything located on a PC.

In some cases, malware authors can also use Trojans to completely take over users' machines. While there are Trojans designed for Mac operating systems, most of them are still directed towards Windows and Trojan.WIN32.PDF.Alien.gen is not an exception in this regard.

If you have downloaded a file that was flagged as malicious, you should not ignore the warning and investigate immediately. Never open files that are detected by security software before being completely sure that it is a false-positive. Keep in mind that "gen" within the name represents "generic." These detections are susceptible to false-positive detections, although this does not happen too often.

From our report of Oct 2021 · not reviewed since

More from our earlier report on Trojan.WIN32.PDF.Alien.gen

• Malware can seriously tamper with Windows systems, causing errors, crashes, lag, and other stability issues after it is terminated.

From our report of Oct 2021 · not reviewed since

A Trojan Horse was named after a technique used by Greeks in the battle of Troy, where soldiers hid within the horse's belly, attacking the enemies unexpectedly.

This is exactly the same principle how malware under the same name works - it strikes users unexpectedly, without warning.

In fact, the distribution method is what defines a Trojan. It is presented as a useful or harmless file, which users execute without suspecting anything out of the ordinary. Below are a few scenarios when this happens, and hopefully their overview can help you to avoid malware infections in the future:

In order to enhance your security, you should always have reputable anti-malware software running in the background. This way, you can be always be warned about the Trojan.WIN32.PDF.Alien.gen virus detection and the infection of the computer can be prevented altogether.

• Malicious spam email attachments. Spam emails remain the most popular for malware distribution. Cybercriminals employ bots to send out thousands of obfuscated documents to users every day and present the emails as something legitimate. To avoid being tricked by a fake email, always scan the attachments with anti-malware (or upload files to Virus Total) and never allow macros to be run on your device.
• Software cracks or pirated applications. Another popular method for malware delivery. Cybercriminals are aware that many people are keen on downloading pirated software due to one reason or another. Due to the lack of moderation on torrent and similar sites, it makes it a perfect place for hackers to upload malicious files disguised as something useful. Keep in mind that ransomware such as Nqsq is also spread via illegitimate installers, so you should stay away from these dangerous places in the first place.
• Phishing websites. There are plenty of websites that are created for malicious purposes - be it information theft or malware downloads. Under certain circumstances, a malicious payload can be downloaded and installed automatically without user interaction. This is why it is important to ensure that all the software installed on the machine is up to date. Malware is commonly spread via phishing messages which claim that a virus has been found on the device, and removal software needs to be downloaded. In other cases, users are shown fake update prompts from well-known applications, such as Google Chrome or Flash Player. Never download updates from random websites and instead update the apps in question automatically.

From our report of Oct 2021 · not reviewed since

Trojan.WIN32.PDF.Alien.gen removal

Trojans such Emotet, Zbot, or Trickbot have been around for many years and are considered among the most dangerous threats.

Thousands of users and corporations fall victims to Trojan attacks every day, and there's little that can be done without adequate security measures and education in the field.

Quite often Trojans and other malware communicate with the remote Command and Control servers via the internet. Crooks can are using them to send various commands, update malware with new modules, proliferate other threats, and much more. Thus, the first step for Trojan.WIN32.PDF.Alien.gen removal should be disconnection of the internet.

You can do that easily by simply pulling out the ethernet cable or right-clicking on the WiFi icon at the bottom-right corner of the taskbar and selecting Disconnect. Once this is done, you can finally proceed with the malware elimination process.

Now you should perform a full system scan with or another powerful anti-malware software to remove everything malicious from your system automatically. While manual Trojan elimination is possible, it is not recommended for regular computer users, as it requires extensive IT knowledge.

In some cases, malware can interfere with the correct operation of security tools. You can bypass this by accessing the Safe Mode:

Windows 7 / Vista / XP

Windows 10 / Windows 8

• Click Start > Shutdown > Restart > OK.
• When your computer becomes active, start pressing the 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.
• Right-click on the Start button and select Settings.
• On the left side of the window, pick Recovery.
• Click Restart now.
• Select Troubleshoot.
• Go to Advanced options.
• Select Startup Settings.
• Click Restart.
• Press 5 or click 5) Enable Safe Mode with Networking.

From our report of Oct 2021 · not reviewed since

Additional security measures

If your device has been infected with a Trojan, there are certain steps you should undertake in order to ensure that all of the malicious components are eliminated fully.

If you have used , , or another security software to eliminate the infection, you are halfway there.

Depending on the malware payload and what happened to your machine during the infection, the remediation process might differ. However, we strongly recommend you proceed with the following precautionary measures:

Keep in mind that malware is luring on the internet, so you should always be careful when using it. Use antivirus software at all times, employ ad-blockers to block malicious ads, and be more careful overall.

• Reset or clean your browsers. You can find more details on how to do that at the bottom of this post;
• Reset all your passwords and use two-factor authentication where available;
• Repair damaged system components with , or you might start facing crashes, errors, BSODs, and other issues after malware is removed.