Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter: what it is and how to remove it
Although some discussion forums contain false discussions saying that this detection is false positive, seeing this detection is a serious warning about the presence of a malicious Trojan horse infection. The Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter is a heuristic name displayed by AV tools, though it directly points to a password-stealing banking Trojan dubbed as Meterpreter.
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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Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter: summary
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Not recorded in the old report |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Name | Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter |
| Type | Loader |
| Symptoms | An unknown process in Task Manager and a Windows Security "Threats found" notification |
| 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 5 more facts
| Evidence | 5 write-ups by security sites; no sample analysed yet |
|---|---|
| File names | explorer.exe |
| First seen | 8 July 2020 |
| Microsoft Defender name | Trojan:Win32/Meterpreter.gen!C |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter does on an infected PC
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Infected files and sites often work as a mediator between Trojans and the target machine
Most of the malicious programs that run in the background aim at performing some stealing and hacking activities.
Thus, it would be naive that they will ask for permission to get installed directly. To hide malicious infections and inject them suspiciously hackers render various social engineering strategies.
One of the most common ways to seed Trojans onto the machines of unsuspecting users is to complement system cracks, keygens, or other pirated content with the trojan payload.
If such a file is downloaded and launched, the virus is activated and starts performing in the background. For this reason, experts recommend staying away from illegal software that is available on torrent sites, p2p platforms, pirating services, and other shady sites.
In addition, domains that are not certified do not feature a secure HTTPs protocol and proof of being protected is an easy target for hackers. Such domains can be injected with malicious javascript codes that can display fake software updates, display infected ads, click-to-download commercials, and other dangerous content.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter is not a false positive detection - it's an activity sign of a dangerous Meterpreter banking trojan
Although some discussion forums contain false discussions saying that this detection is false positive, seeing this detection is a serious warning about the presence of a malicious Trojan horse infection.
The Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter is a heuristic name displayed by AV tools, though it directly points to a password-stealing banking Trojan dubbed as Meterpreter. The malware can disguise under legitimate Windows system files, such as explorer.exe to create persistence and prevent removal.
Meterpreter Trojan is a cyber infection developed on the bases of the Metasploit Framework . It may be distributed via infected HTTP servers, fake downloads, cracks, pirated software, or spam email attachments. Once the malicious payload is launched, the Trojan seeks to create persistence, connect to the C2 server, and regularly record data intending to steal passwords, credit card info, and other highly-sensitive credentials.
The Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter detection can be found on the system by various AV tools automatically or when running a full scan with it. In case of a false-positive, you should receive the alert without noticing other system malfunctions, including slowdowns, high CPU, or unknown files running (explorer.exe, trabajo.docm, etc.).
In some rare cases, the Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter virus alarm can be triggered by software inconsistencies. If you have been using a security tool and uninstalled it inappropriately (without eliminating its registries), the remnants can eventually trigger false positive detections by the new AV engine.
If your AV tool brought you such detection, it's most likely that the system is infected by a malicious Meterpreter Trojan horse, which seeks to steal usernames, passwords, other credentials, or information that is required to perform certain banking operations or launch particular commands.
If you cannot decide whether the Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter is a false-positive or Meterpreter virus, we strongly recommend downloading alternative security software and double-checking the machine. At the moment, the Meterpreter-virus related files are identified as malicious by 38 AV engines out of 61. Other detection names indicate the virus as:
If this Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter virus infiltrates the Windows machine, it performs malicious processes in the background and connects to the remote server to provide the criminals behind the trojan with the collected data. Usually, banking trojans are provided with features recording keystrokes, stealing browser's data, harvesting credentials, installing other malicious programs, injecting intrusive content on the web browsers, and more.
Nevertheless, if you have already noticed a suspicious system's behavior and the symptoms of possible trojan infection, arm yourself with the reputable anti-virus, restart your machine into Safe Mode with Networking, and run a full scan to remove Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter from the machine completely.
You should remove Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter as soon as possible to prevent the malware from causing the damage. The longer it is kept, the more files or functions it can modify. Finally, check the system for any possible damage using a reliable optimization utility, such as . This program has been developed with an intention to maintain Windows OS stability and performance, so take advantage of its advanced scanner regularly.
- VB:Trojan.Valyria.447 (B) (Emsisoft)
- Troj/FatRat-F (Sophos)
- Trojan:Win32/Meterpreter.gen!C (Windows Defender), etc.
From our report of Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter
- Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter is a generic threat detection name that can be brought by any reputable AV engine, but most frequently it's triggered by Windows Defender, Ikarus, and Malwarebytes .
- If the Trojan is silently running on the machine, people should notice a significant decrease in PC's performance, high CPU usage by suspicious processes, Internet speed slowdowns, etc.
- Tend to misuse explorer.exe file.
- The main executable - trabajo.docm
- The Trojan spreads via infected HTTP servers, fake software updates, malicious spam attachments, etc.
- It seeks to leak users' passwords, credit card details, and other credentials that are required for banking operations
- The only way to eliminate a Trojan - fully scan the system with a robust anti-virus program
- Trojans initiate loads of unauthorized distortions on the machine, including registry removal, disabling of crucial processes, injection of useless files, etc.
- The system damage may be recovered by software.
- Some people reported that the detection stopped from being reported after eliminating the remnants of security software, for instance, Avast.
How to check the PC for Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter
What antivirus programs call Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter
Microsoft Defender reports Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter as Trojan:Win32/Meterpreter.gen!C.
In a Defender name, the part before the colon is the category, the part after it is the platform, and the part after the slash is the family Microsoft assigned. A suffix after ! is an internal Microsoft marker, not a different threat.
Generic labels such as Agent, GenericKD or Malware.AI only say that a file looks malicious, not what it does; our guide to antivirus detection names shows how to read them.
- File:
explorer.exe
How to remove Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter
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 explorer.exe runs from and stop it
explorer.exeis the part you can see, and its location tells you whether it belongs there. Right-click it on the Processes page of Task Manager and choose Open file location, then right-click the file > Properties > Digital Signatures to see who signed it.An unsigned file, or one in a user folder such as
%AppData%, is the one to remove: end the task, then delete the file.Note the folder name, because the same folder usually holds its other files. This is 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
Open Task Scheduler from the Start menu and click Task Scheduler Library. Select each task you do not recognise and read the Actions tab:
- a task that starts a file in
%AppData%or%Temp% - runs
powershellwith a long encoded line - opens a web address belongs to Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter or a similar program
Right-click such a task and choose Delete, and check the subfolders too. Leave tasks from Microsoft, your PC's maker and programs you use. Task Scheduler is 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
- a task that starts a file in
Step 3: Remove it from startup
Whatever Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter installed usually starts with Windows. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, go to Startup apps in Windows 11 or the Startup tab in Windows 10, and disable what you do not know, starting with entries that have an empty Publisher column.
Open file location on the right-click menu shows the file, which helps you decide and tells you what to delete later. Disabling is safe: if something you need stops working, switch it back on.
Full procedure with screenshots: Stop apps from opening at startup On uGetFix
Step 4: Delete the folders left behind
What the uninstaller leaves behind is usually in the user folders. Open File Explorer, switch on View > Show > Hidden items (in Windows 10 View > Hidden items), and go through
%LocalAppData%,%AppData%, %ProgramData% and the two Program Files folders.Sort by Date modified and delete folders that appeared together with the problem and belong to no program you use. Folders with random names that hold
.exe,.dll, .js or .ps1 files are the strongest sign.Full procedure with screenshots: Remove what malware leaves behind in Windows
Step 5: Scan the PC, then run the offline scan
Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options, run a Full scan and remove everything it finds. Then select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now: the PC restarts and scans before Windows loads, which finds files that hide while Windows runs.
Save your work first, because the offline scan takes about 15 minutes. Both scans are built into Windows 11 and Windows 10, and a second scanner from another vendor is a useful extra opinion.
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
Assume that the passwords saved in this PC's browsers, and the accounts that were open in them, are known to the attacker. From a phone or a clean computer, change the e-mail password first, then banking, shopping, social and gaming accounts.
Use each service's option to sign out of all other sessions, because stolen cookies keep a session open even after a password change. Turn on two-step verification on each account. Wait with the infected Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC until the scans are 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 Jul 2020 · not reviewed since
Automatic Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter removal is the only way that can help
It's important to remove Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter virus if the AV tool warns you about its presence unless you don't mind hackers to be recording your credentials.
Running or while in Safe Mode with Networking should help to delete the malicious trojan from the system and other programs that pose danger to your PC's security.
In fact, Safe Mode is not crucial, so you can try to launch the scanner while in the regular mode. However, there's a high probability that the Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter removal simply won't work because the AV tool may be left idle by malicious virus-related processes. In this case, Safe Mode disables non-core system files and allows launching the anti-virus.
[GI=method-1]If you have never booted Windows into Safe Mode, the guide below will help you navigate this procedure easily.
[GI=method-2]If Safe Mode did not work for you, try to remove Meterpreter trojan virus using the System Restore function.
After removal: passwords, accounts and prevention
Your passwords after Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter
Removing Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter does not undo what it may already have sent out while the PC showed an unfamiliar process called explorer.exe in Task Manager.
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 Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter
Is explorer.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 explorer.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.
Defender removed Trojan:Win32/Meterpreter.gen!C. Am I safe now?
Often yes, but check two things. First, whether the detection was caught on arrival: a file in Downloads or in an archive that Defender quarantined before it ran is the best case.
Second, whether Trojan:Win32/Meterpreter.gen!C comes back. If it returns, or if Protection history shows several different detections around the same date, something on the PC keeps producing the file and needs to be found.
Run a full scan and, if anything remains, an offline scan. If the category names a password stealer or a backdoor, change your passwords from another device even if the file is gone.
Can I end explorer.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 explorer.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.
Should I change my passwords after Trojan:Win32/Meterpreter.gen!C?
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/Meterpreter.gen!C 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.
Can I just delete explorer.exe?
Deleting explorer.exe by hand rarely removes Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter. While the trojan runs, Windows may refuse to delete the file, and if you succeed, a scheduled task, a service or a second copy may bring it back at the next restart.
The file can also be only one part of the infection: loaders and remote access tools often install other programs. Use the Microsoft Defender offline scan, which removes the file together with its startup entries before Windows loads, and then check startup items and scheduled tasks as described in the plan.
Will Windows Security detect Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter?
Yes, current Microsoft Defender definitions name it Trojan:Win32/Meterpreter.gen!C. Make sure the definitions are up to date first: open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Protection updates and click Check for updates. Then run a full scan and the Microsoft Defender offline scan.
If the detection comes back after you remove it, look for the program, task or extension that brings it back, using the plan above. Detection removes files and startup entries, but it does not reverse changes Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter already made, so follow the other steps in this guide as well.
Should I reset my PC because of Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter?
Only if the signs point to deeper access. Reset when you see an unfamiliar process called explorer.exe in Task Manager again after removal, when Windows Security cannot start or update, when remote access tools you did not install keep appearing, or when you simply cannot trust the PC any more.
Otherwise, the plan in this guide plus an offline scan is enough. If you do reset, choose Remove everything and Cloud download for a fresh copy of Windows, restore only documents and photos, and reinstall programs from their official sites. Change important passwords from the clean system afterwards.
How dangerous is Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter?
Treat it as serious until proven otherwise. The visible sign is an unfamiliar process called explorer.exe in Task Manager, and programs that behave this way often have more abilities than they show:
- copying passwords
- downloading other malware
- giving remote access
Its family is not known yet, so nobody can say which of these it uses. The good news is that the response is the same in every case and takes about an hour:
- cut the network
- remove the startup entry
- run an offline scan
- change passwords from a clean device
If someone had remote control, a full reset is safer.
Why can't I find Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter in antivirus databases?
Because it is new or because it is listed under a different name. Antivirus companies name threats after the family they belong to, and a program that appears as Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter on your PC may carry a generic or unrelated label in their databases.
Many new samples are first detected only by behaviour, without a family name. What you saw, an unfamiliar process called explorer.exe in Task Manager, is enough to act on:
- end the program
- remove its startup entry
- run a Microsoft Defender offline scan
- secure your accounts
A detection name from a scan is worth noting for later.
Will Fortect remove Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter?
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 Trojan/Win64.Meterpreter, 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
- VirusTotal: trabajo.docm (read October 6, 2026)
- Medium: How to make trojan using metasploit? (read October 6, 2026)
- ThreatPost: ThreatList: Banking Trojans Are Still The Top Big Bad for Email (read October 6, 2026)
- Virusai: SAUGUMO IR VIRUSŲ NAUJIENOS (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)