Valak malware: what it is and how to remove it
Valak malware - is the so-called JavaScript loader because it uses JS to get on the system of targeted machines. It also spreads using email attachments when password-sealed Microsoft files get attached to safe-looking emails, and users enable the drop of the malicious code by enabling macros.
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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Valak malware: summary
| Distribution | Trojans can infiltrate targeted machines using phishing spam, malicious files from torrent sites, or relying on web injects on various websites. There are many ways to catch such infection without noticing anything |
|---|---|
| Name | Valak malware |
| Type | Trojan |
| Possible purposes | Malware can be set to gather data from the machine or platforms, sites that victims visits while the trojan is in the system. It also may act as a backdoor for more severe malware pieces and allow remote attackers to access the system |
| Danger | Trojans can act as backdoors and install serious malware that damages the machine, blackmails people. This malware itself can obtain data or use the PC as a tool to mine cryptocurrency, infiltrate other devices on the network. The more time trojan spends on the machine, the more affected computer can get |
| 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 5 more facts
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | An unknown program in Installed apps |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| First seen | 19 May 2020 |
| Facts checked | 7 October 2026 |
What Valak malware does on an infected PC
From our report of May 2020 · not reviewed since
Valak malware is the hazardous trojan that launches processes on the targeted computer unnoticed
Valak malware - is the so-called JavaScript loader because it uses JS to get on the system of targeted machines.
It also spreads using email attachments when password-sealed Microsoft files get attached to safe-looking emails, and users enable the drop of the malicious code by enabling macros. Since this is a crafty malware, it can come to the machine without users' consent and run various processes, launch commands.
While all the activities happen in the background, no symptoms, in particular, get displayed. After a while, trojans may cause some frustration with the speed or performance of the machine, so people get suspicious about that. However, in most cases, these issues with the machine are triggered by continuous working in the background.
You cannot notice the initial infiltration, nor spot the Valak Trojan working on the machine, so the termination process also is significantly affected. Trojan runs in the background and disguises as a process that can be commonly found in Task Manager or in scheduled tasks, so even the AV tools cannot easily detect the malware.
In addition, this malware can be set to perform various operations or used as a tool that provides remote control over the entire network for the attacker. It may directly obtain information from the system and use other scripts that act as information recorders like keystroke loggers.
Valak malware is a complex threat that can carry out different tasks, depending on criminals releasing the malware. The infection spreads and acts silently, so it can be harmful and quickly inject the whole network once it is triggered on one of the devices. Attackers can have different intentions with each campaign and spread the trojan to damage, infiltrate, or spy.
Once Valak malware gets on the machine it is unstoppable because anything and everything can be achieved. Hackers control the threat and can trigger backdoor functions, injector features, spyware operations, data tracking, and recording functions. It can secretly spy on the user and gather microphone, webcam data, collect sensitive information from the machine, for example, contacts, passwords, correspondence.
Valak malware can gather various valuable information that is later used to blackmail people or perform different abuse. Credentials to banking or cryptocurrency exchange platforms can directly allow hackers to make fraudulent transactions and steal money from users' accounts. Yout funds may get drained to criminals' accounts and, in most cases, there are only a few ways to retrieve those funds.
When creators of Valak Trojan manage to take control of the infected device they can violate your privacy directly and harm the machine. Once the computer becomes unusable, the malware used the bigger part of the resources for needed tasks. When you have the trojan on the machine, and it accesses system folders, files, and programs the damage may already be permanent when you notice the activities.
This is why Valak malware removal becomes extremely difficult when you try to get rid of the virus. Your AV tools and security functions that already run on the system can get disabled or damaged by the virus, so detection is evaded, and malware can freely run. You need additional anti-malware tool that could run separately on the machine and find parts of the payload, malicious programs.
When you remove Valak malware this way, you can also reboot the machine in Safe Mode with Networking first, so the system is running smooth, and the virus is not interfering with the AV detection engine. There are many tools that can supposedly find the threat, according to the detection rate.
may do that for you and automatically fix problems, errors, and replace damaged Windows data with safe and proper files.
Valak malware can act as a backdoor that allows the installation of ransomware, worms, other viruses, so full system repair is required no matter what. It can destroy various files or implement illicit activities.
If you managed to remove the threat, make sure to clear all the damage and possible traces, so the machine can run smoothly. Double-check with alternate AV software or security tool, restore the system by using methods listed below.
From our report of May 2020 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Valak malware
- Valak malware removal gets difficult over time, so using anti-malware tools designed for such threats can be the best option since all the parts of the machine get checked for any suspicious files or applications
- Computer gets significantly affected when such a malware program keeps running in the background.
How Valak malware got on your PC
From our report of May 2020 · not reviewed since
Password-secured files in the format of zip or doc get often attached to emails that seem legitimate or safe enough to open.
This installation is manual, but users trigger the drop without even realizing that. Deceptive messages in emails with these attachments get disguised as official documents, invoices, financial information, so the person is not questioning the password requirement and macro enabling.
Once the file is downloaded and opened on the machine the password is required, and once the Microsoft Word or Excel document is displayed Enable button appears on the window that states about the need to allow content manually. This is where malicious macros get triggered, and payload of the threat directly lands on the machine.
These issues are also found in torrent sites where pirated software, cracks, and game cheats get delivered. Also, the malware injects its own scripts on various sites that look legitimate, and you do not even notice any red flags. Always pay attention to received emails and sites that you are not trusting fully. The internet is full of malware and hackers.
How to remove Valak 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 Valak 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 Valak 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 Valak 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
Valak 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 May 2020 · not reviewed since
Get rid of the Valak Trojan virus alongside other threats and malicious files
You cannot be sure that trojan or other virus is no running alongside this threat.
The full system scan with anti-malware tools or security software like , can be crucial for Valak malware removal. The system check using a powerful AV detection tool can show you all the malicious files and threats that create risks of getting additional malware. When you allow the program to quarantine or fully terminate those files and programs, you clean the machine from malware.
When you remove Valak malware, you also clear other intruders, so your device may run smoother and better. However, there are some issues that can be left after malware elimination. Even when the virus is removed and deleted, your system files and functions cannot work properly due to the damage caused before.
[GI=method-1]When Valak malware affects crucial system functions, disables programs or features, Safe Mode with Networking can help safely remove the Trojan
[GI=method-2]System Restore sometimes can act as the malware removal method because it recovers machine in a previous state when the threat was not active
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 valak malware in the list of installed apps 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.
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 Valak malware
Is Valak malware a virus?
Most programs that appear the way Valak malware did are not viruses in the strict sense. They are potentially unwanted programs:
- real software that arrives bundled with other downloads and then shows offers
- changes browser settings
- starts with Windows
Some are harmless, some are annoying and a few carry adware. What makes it worth removing is that you did not choose it.
Uninstall it from Installed apps and check the startup list and the browsers for anything added the same day. If it refuses to uninstall or returns after a restart, treat it as more serious and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan.
Valak malware came back after I uninstalled it. Why?
Something else is reinstalling it. Common causes are a second program from the same publisher, a scheduled task that downloads it again, or a browser extension that keeps prompting for it. Sort Installed apps by install date and uninstall each entry from the same day that you did not choose.
Then open Task Scheduler and look in the Task Scheduler Library for tasks with updater-style names that you do not recognise. Check Startup apps in Task Manager too. If Valak malware still returns, start Windows in Safe Mode, uninstall it there and run a Microsoft Defender offline scan, which looks for loaders that ordinary scans can miss.
Can I keep using the PC while Valak malware is on it?
Not for anything that matters. As long as the program behind valak malware in the list of installed apps runs, it can see what you type and what the browser stores, and it may download more malware. Disconnect the PC from the internet while you remove it, and do your banking, e-mail and password changes from another device.
Once the offline scan finds nothing and the sign does not return after a few restarts, normal use is fine. If the scan keeps finding new items, or you cannot remove the startup entry, a reset of Windows is the safer choice.
How do I know if my PC has Valak malware?
Often you do not, which is the point of a trojan. Possible signs are an antivirus alert naming Valak 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.
Do I need to reinstall Windows to get rid of Valak malware?
Usually not. A thorough clean-up is enough when the offline scan finds nothing afterwards and you do not see valak malware in the list of installed apps 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 report Valak 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.
Should I check my other computers too?
Yes, it takes little time and removes doubt. Valak malware 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 Valak malware 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 Valak malware 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, valak malware in the list of installed apps, 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 Valak 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 Valak 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
- Wikipedia: Macro virus (read October 7, 2026)
- CSOonline: How attackers can monitor everything you type (read October 7, 2026)
- VirusTotal: Malicious file detection rate (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)