Urlmon.7z: what it is and how to remove it
Urlmon.7z is a dangerous trojan that enters users' machines without them noticing and performs several changes to the system, including the injection of malicious code into Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or other browsers.
While the virus mainly works as a backdoor for other malware's propagation, it can also be used by hackers to spy on victims and harvest sensitive information, such as banking details, passwords, IDs, social security numbers, and similar.
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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Urlmon.7z: summary
| Name | Urlmon.7z |
|---|---|
| Type | Trojan |
| Details | Backdoor, connects via C2 server, installs other malicious software |
| Infiltration | Insecure sites, weak passwords, spam emails, exploits, etc. |
| Related | Urlmon.dll – legitimate Windows file |
| 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 | Urlmon.dll and C:\Program |
| First seen | 19 November 2018 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
What Urlmon.7z does on an infected PC
From our report of Nov 2018 · not reviewed since
Urlmon.7z - a trojan that is creates a backdoor for malware
Urlmon.7z is a dangerous trojan that enters users' machines without them noticing and performs several changes to the system, including the injection of malicious code into Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or other browsers.
While the virus mainly works as a backdoor for other malware's propagation, it can also be used by hackers to spy on victims and harvest sensitive information, such as banking details, passwords, IDs, social security numbers, and similar. Note that Urlmon.dll is a legitimate file located in C:\Program Files\internet explorer platform preview\iepreview.exe.local and used by Windows OS, and should not be tampered with, as it could result in system failure.
The infiltration of a trojan is usually noticed by users, as it is distributed via fake updates, deceptive file-sharing sites, spam emails, exploits, etc. Therefore, users should be extremely careful when using the internet and avoid using suspicious websites. In case the operating system or software is not outdated, a Urlmon.7z virus can use vulnerabilities to inject its payload automatically.
Urlmon.7z removal should be perform using professional anti-virus software, as manual elimination is simply too complicated for regular users and should not be attempted.
Unfortunately, users can never notice the Urlmon.7z virus infection, as everything happens out of sight and the script runs in the background. However, in some cases, the virus might be suspected due to these symptoms:
Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to perform a system scan using the anti-malware software in order to make sure that it is not suffering from cyber infections. Additionally, keeping security software that has real-time protection feature is a good idea, as it can completely prevent Urlmon.7z virus from entering.
The malicious activity performed by Urlmon.7z trojan might result in serious consequences, such as money loss, sensitive data leak, file loss, or even identity theft. Therefore, you should not wait any longer and remove Urlmon.7z virus from your PC. Please follow the guide below.
- Slow internet connection;
- High CPU usage;
- Frequent errors;
- Crashing or lagging software;
- Redirects to suspicious websites;
- Other malware infiltration, etc.
What Urlmon.7z can steal or download
From our report of Nov 2018 · not reviewed since
Users are often baffled when a virus strikes their computer.
However, unsafe internet browsing practices and casual look at cybersecurity precautions often leads to infections, and, unfortunately, users themselves are to blame. For that reason, follow these simple tips in order to stay safe online:
- Use anti-malware software at all times and keep it up to date;
- Patch your operating system and installed software immediately (for example, Adobe Flash is one of the most abused software out there, and leaving it unpatched can lead to some nasty infections);
- Do not open attachments or click on links inside spam emails;
- Use strong passwords for all your accounts and change them regularly;
- Avoid file-sharing websites (especially torrent sites);
- Do not install useless software (such as media players, system optimizers, etc.), unless you are 100% sure it is safe to use.
How to check the PC for Urlmon.7z
- Path:
C:\Program - File:
Urlmon.dll
How to remove Urlmon.7z
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 Urlmon.dll runs from and stop it
In Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) find
Urlmon.dllon 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 Urlmon.7z 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 Urlmon.7z, 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 Urlmon.7z 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
Urlmon.7z 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 Nov 2018 · not reviewed since
Eliminate Urlmon.7z virus using security application
To remove Urlmon.7z virus from your system, you will have to perform a scan using security software.
However, because malware uses obfuscation techniques, you will have to enter Safe Mode with Networking to stop the virus from the operation.
Manual Urlmon.7z removal should not be attempted by regular users, as trojan horse infection is a sophisticated threat. Even if you manage to delete certain malicious files, you may also remove system files which would cause irreversible damage to the Windows operating system.
In such a case, you would have to reinstall it, and possibly lose all your personal data. Therefore, use the anti-malware software in Safe Mode and get rid of the infection safely.
[GI=method-1]To remove Urlmon.7z from the system, enter Safe Mode with Networking:
[GI=method-2]You can also use System Restore in order to stop malware's operation:
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 Urlmon.dll 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.
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 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 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. 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.
Questions about Urlmon.7z
Is Urlmon.dll a virus?
The name Urlmon.dll is not enough to say. Malware often uses technical-sounding names, and harmless updaters often use odd ones. Check three things:
- the folder the file runs from
- the Digital Signatures tab in its properties
- the program that starts it (Startup apps, Task Scheduler or services)
A signed file from a company whose product you use is almost certainly fine. An unsigned file in a user folder that no installed program explains should be removed, and the PC scanned with Microsoft Defender in offline mode.
Urlmon.dll keeps coming back. What should I do?
A process that returns after you end it has a restart mechanism, and that is a reason to treat Urlmon.dll as unwanted. Check Settings > Apps > Startup, Task Scheduler and the Services list for entries pointing to its folder, and disable them.
Look in Installed apps for anything added the same day and uninstall it. Then delete the folder and run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan, which works before Windows starts and can remove files that are locked or hidden while the system is running.
How do I know if my PC has Urlmon.7z?
Often you do not, which is the point of a trojan. Possible signs are an antivirus alert naming Urlmon.7z 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.
Do I need to reinstall Windows to get rid of Urlmon.7z?
Usually not. A thorough clean-up is enough when the offline scan finds nothing afterwards and you do not see an unfamiliar process called Urlmon.dll 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.
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.
Should I check my other computers too?
Yes, it takes little time and removes doubt. Urlmon.7z 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.
Why can't I find Urlmon.7z 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 Urlmon.7z 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 Urlmon.dll 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.
I found AnyDesk or ScreenConnect that I did not install. Is that Urlmon.7z?
Not necessarily Urlmon.7z, 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.
Should I report Urlmon.7z?
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.
Will Fortect remove Urlmon.7z?
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 Urlmon.7z, 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
- Norton: What is a Trojan? Is it a virus or is it malware? (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)