How to Remove Tonedeaf Malware

This article can help you to remove Tonedeaf Virus. The step by step removal works for every version of Microsoft Windows.

Tonedeaf Malware is a nasty virus. It falls under the Trojan Horse umbrella and is what users fear the most – a virus that downloads other viruses. It acts as a backdoor. It weakens your system’s defense mechanisms and connects your computer to the hackers’ server. The news is bad! This Trojan is very dangerous. It is reported to be a multipurpose virus that not only downloads malware but also collected information, as well as executes shell commands. You are in a bad situation! Tonedeaf jeopardizes your security, privacy, and computer’s well-being. If you have even the slightest suspicion that your computer hosts this virus, take immediate action! The more time this virus spends on your device, the worse your predicaments get. The malware is programmed to be stealthy. It, however, messes with essential system directories and is likely to cause performance issues, program malfunctions, errors, and crashes. Do not wait to see what the future holds for your device. Your best and only course of action is the immediate removal of the Trojan. Find where Tonedeaf lurks and delete it upon detection. The sooner you clean your operating system, the better!

How did I get infected with?

Tonedeaf Malware is spread through a phishing campaign on LinkedIn. The crooks use fake profiles to send messages about potential job opportunities and ask their victims to open a file named ERFT-Details.xls. The file acts as a dropper. It is not infected, so your anti-virus won’t mark it as dangerous. Once you open it, though, the file “drops” the virus’ payload. The Trojan waste no time and immediately spreads throughout your entire operating system. Do not fall for these tricks! The crooks prey on your naivety. Your caution, on the other hand, prevents infections. Be careful with your inbox. The good old spam messages are the number one cause of infections. Treat all unexpected messages as potential threats. Always verify the senders! If, for example, you receive an email from an organization, go to their official website. Compare the email addresses listed there to the questionable one. If they don’t match, delete the pretender immediately. You can also enter the suspicious addresses into a search engine. If they were used for questionable activities, someone might have complained! Even a little extra attention goes a long, long way. Always take the time to do your due diligence!

Why is this dangerous?

Tonedeaf Malware is a nightmare. It sneaks into your computer and corrupts your entire OS. The virus alters settings, modifies the registry, corrupts essential directories and files. This, of course, happens in complete silence. You can’t catch the Trojan in time to prevent its invasion. It runs its processes in the background and takes full control of your PC. Once infiltrated, though, the virus might trigger symptoms that bring to light its presence. The Trojan is likely to cause errors, malfunctions, underperformance. It steals computer resources, and thus, slows down your operating system. The performance issues, however, should not be your biggest concern. They are just the symptoms of the virus’ corruption. Tonedeaf follows programming to download and install other viruses. From annoying adware to destructive ransomware, anything may sneak into your computer through the Trojan. And as if that’s not bad enough, but the virus also monitors your activities and reports to its operators. Tonedeaf collects system information, as well as analyzes your activities. One mistake, and the virus may record personal and financial details. Don’t waste time in debates. Take action against the virus. Remove Tonedeaf before it gets a chance to cause you harm!

Manual Tonedeaf Removal Instructions

The Tonedeaf infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Tonedeaf infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

STEP 1: Track down Tonedeaf related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Tonedeaf startup location

STEP 3: Delete Tonedeaf traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Tonedeaf related processes in the computer memory

• Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
• Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.

• Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Tonedeaf startup location

Reveal Hidden Files

• Open any folder
• Click on “Organize” button
  
• Choose “Folder and Search Options”
• Select the “View” tab
• Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
• Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
• Click “Apply” and “OK” button

Clean Tonedeaf virus from the windows registry

• Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

• A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

• WARNING! be very careful when editing the Microsoft Windows Registry as this may render the system broken.

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

• and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

• Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.

Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection

Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host

If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:

Step 4: Undo the possible damage done by Tonedeaf

This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.

Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Tonedeaf, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.

To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.

• Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
• go to Network and Internet
• then Network and Sharing Center
• then Change Adapter Settings
• Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!

 

• Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove Tonedeaf Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your whole system or network and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible virus leftovers or temporary files.