Varenyky virus: what it is and how to remove it
Varenyky virus is the trojan that targets French people and records victims' screen. This is a particular malware that captures screenshots while the pornographic content sites are visited and records keywords you search related to sex and adult material.
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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Varenyky virus: summary
| Distribution | Spam emails, software cracks, fake updates, infected files |
|---|---|
| Name | Varenyky virus |
| Type | Trojan, spambot, screen recorder |
| Symptoms | Infiltrates the system and records screenshots, videos while the user browser adult sites with keywords porn, xxx, sex, sexy, facial, webcams, lesbo, etc. |
| Tactics | Social engineering, sextortion, infected files |
| Main danger | Can install other tools like WebBrowserPassView or Mail PassView and steal passwords, other sensitive data |
| 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
| System affected | Windows operating system |
|---|---|
| Targets | French-speaking people |
| Detection names | No Microsoft detection name is known |
| Damage | Not recorded in the old report |
| Evidence | 4 write-ups by security sites; details still limited |
| First seen | 12 August 2019 |
| Facts checked | 6 October 2026 |
What Varenyky virus does on an infected PC
From our report of Aug 2019 · not reviewed since
Malware sent via email when the downloader is attached as a file
Phishing email campaign distribution is a common method, and since the trojan is one of the more dangerous threats based on the silent infiltration, the typical technique is used here too. Malicious operators use the method to spread infected file on the victim's computer by attaching the document to the legitimate-looking notification.
The virus downloader gets triggered by opening the attachment file and downloading that Microsoft Word document on the targeted machine. The particular document states about a formed bill, and once the document gets opened a message about the protection and needed verification appears.
This alert explains that this human verification is needed to open the confidential content. However, this file contains malicious macros, and by enabling them, you execute the malicious script. The quality of the French language, according to experts is exceptional, so the email and the document is convincing enough to make people fall for the scam.
From our report of Aug 2019 · not reviewed since
More from our earlier report on Varenyky virus
- Remove Varenyky virus with anti-malware tools like
How Varenyky virus got on your PC
From our report of Aug 2019 · not reviewed since
Varenyky virus is the trojan that targets French people and records victims' screen.
This is a particular malware that captures screenshots while the pornographic content sites are visited and records keywords you search related to sex and adult material. Although sextortion scams are commonly found threats, this particular campaign involves spambot trojan that collects particular information.
It is known that Varenyky trojan mainly targets people living in France and sends the recorded videos to the C&C server and spreads blackmailing messages to people. This is how criminals get their profit while extorting money from victims.
Scammers send emails with alleged invoices and bills or notifications and spread on the machines, delivers redirects to dodgy sites, promotions and sextortion campaigns. The main target is users of Orange S.A, a French ISP.
Varenyky virus has a few functions, one of them is language checker and analyzer. This is a tool that identifies the location and executes the malware in particular countries. It even locates particular keyboards with English or Russian keyboard layouts and delivers a message stating about the program termination.
Varenyky virus focuses on French-speaking victims and runs on the targeted system from the second it gets installed. It downloads an executable file that launches the malware, later on, downloads different EXE and replaces the initial executable.
Varenyky trojan also creates a few hidden folders or a hidden desktop to run tasks unnoticed, extracts NirSoft's WebBrowserPassView and Mail PassView, runs them and sends the results to the C&C server that manages other functions of this spambot.
The spike in such activities got observed back in May, but the malware targeting France was analyzed and the more recent reposts about Varnyky virus shows much more details about the particular spambot. The most significant feature is the malspam campaign during which notifications pretending to have bills or invoices spread malicious attachments in Word documents.
The trojan Varenyky scans the particular web browser window and check the title of the opened site to find porn-related words on French, or even bitcoin int the title. Other porn-related words - also the content that malware looks for.
All those words are triggers for the screen recording activities. The Tor network downloaded at first helps to execute the screen grabber feature that sends the sensitive video to the same C&C server.
This is the material that allows Varenyky virus developers later on to extort money and blackmail people. Sextortion helps these cybercriminals to profit from the victims. Stolen banking information, sensitive data, and password recording features also can help monetize the malware activity.
You need to remove Varenyky virus until your information got shared or used in later extortion and blackmail campaigns. Trojan infections and malware attacks like this can lead to various damage, virus infiltrations, and even privacy issues if you keep the threat running.
Varenyky virus removal requires more attention because, as we mentioned, there are too many features, files, and programs, this trojan loads on the infected computer. You should rely on the professional anti-malware tool and run the check of the whole system to find these alterations, virus damage.
When Varenyky virus termination and system scan involves tools like your device can be significantly improved because all the useless files, malicious programs get deleted during such processes. So choose the reliable programs, anti-malware tool, and clean the machine.
How to remove Varenyky virus
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 Varenyky virus 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 Varenyky virus, 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 Varenyky virus 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
Varenyky virus 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 Aug 2019 · not reviewed since
Varenyky virus elimination involves the full system cleaning
Varenyky virus gets installed on the machine by using various methods, so the malware can run on the system and change different settings on the computer.
Because of this, trojan runs on the system without users' notice, so it is worth it to employ professional anti-malware tools.
To remove Varenyky virus, you should get a trustworthy anti-malware program and scan the system thoroughly. This way, all the related files, documents, viruses get detected, indicated, and removed automatically. There is additional language checker, other executables that need to be found and deleted, so the trojan is no longer running in the background.
Using , , or for the automatic Varenyky virus removal can improve the overall performance of the infected machine because other programs, fake software or PUPs get deleted during this full system check. You need to follow the suggested steps and pay attention to all the malware detected and removed.
[GI=method-1]Get rid of the Varenyky trojan during the anti-malware scan via reboot into the Safe Mode with Networking
[GI=method-2]You may benefit from System Restore feature and eliminate the malware this way
After removal: passwords, accounts and prevention
Your passwords after Varenyky virus
Removing Varenyky virus does not undo what it may already have sent out while the PC showed varenyky virus in the list of installed apps.
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.
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity.
While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important - recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data.
Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
Questions about Varenyky virus
Can I safely uninstall Varenyky virus?
If you did not install Varenyky virus yourself and it is not part of your hardware or a program you rely on, yes. Uninstalling an unwanted program does not harm Windows. Before you do, search the exact name and publisher to be sure it is not a driver tool, a printer utility or a game launcher with an odd name.
Then remove it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps. Ignore any offers or warnings in its uninstaller about losing protection or performance. Afterwards check Startup apps and your browsers for leftovers, and restart once to confirm that it does not reinstall itself.
Varenyky virus 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 Varenyky virus 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.
Do I need to reinstall Windows to get rid of Varenyky virus?
Usually not. A thorough clean-up is enough when the offline scan finds nothing afterwards and you do not see varenyky virus 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.
Should I check my other computers too?
Yes, it takes little time and removes doubt. Varenyky virus 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.
How do I know if my PC has Varenyky virus?
Often you do not, which is the point of a trojan. Possible signs are an antivirus alert naming Varenyky virus 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.
Should I report Varenyky virus?
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.
I found AnyDesk or ScreenConnect that I did not install. Is that Varenyky virus?
Not necessarily Varenyky virus, 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.
How dangerous is Varenyky virus?
Treat it as serious until proven otherwise. The visible sign is varenyky virus in the list of installed apps, 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 Varenyky virus 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 Varenyky virus 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, varenyky virus 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 Varenyky virus?
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 Varenyky virus, 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
- USAtoday: Email sextortion scams are on the rise, and they're scary. Here's what to do if you get one (read October 6, 2026)
- ZDNet: Windows malware strain records users on adult sites (read October 6, 2026)
- Lesvirus: Lesvirus (read October 6, 2026)
- FTC: How to recognize, remove and avoid malware (read October 6, 2026)
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Defender Offline (read October 6, 2026)