Gh0st RAT Removal

This article can help you to remove Gh0st RAT Virus. The step by step removal works for every version of Microsoft Windows.

If you have the Gh0st RAT parasite on your computer, you have a reason to worry. This virus is a nasty Trojan horse which can enable remote access to your PC. It enters your system in complete silence and wreaks havoc. Once on board, the Trojan modifies your system settings, corrupts essential for your OS files and processes, and rewrites your System Registry. The Trojan may cause some programs of yours to freeze and crash frequently. Your anti-virus app is very likely to be disabled. The virus causes numerous errors and program failures. It will force you to reboot your system frequently. But a simple restart won’t fix your problems. Gh0st RAT loads together with your OS and is always running in the background. You are, in fact, lucky to know that you are infected. You can act against the infection. The more time this pest has on board, the more problems will it cause. This particular Trojan is very capable. It is a spying virus which records input from your web camera and microphone, provides a real-time desktop video feed, records your keystrokes, and enters shell commands. To put it simply, the Trojan controls your device. The hackers can manipulate your computer as they please. You are in a bad, bad situation. Don’t waste your time and take immediate action against the virus! We have provided a manual removal guide below this article. Yet, be advised. Gh0st RAT is a sophisticated parasite. Its manual removal requires advanced computer skills. If you make a mistake, you will either damage your system or fail to remove the Trojan. Therefore, we recommend you to use a powerful anti-malware tool.

How did I get infected with?

As sophisticated and Gh0st RAT is, this Trojan still uses the classic distribution strategies. Torrents, drive-by downloads, and fake software updates. Yet, there is one distribution method that stands above all others. The good old spam emails are still the number one cause of virus infection. This technique is genius. People tend to neglect how dangerous an unverified email can be. Don’t underestimate the crooks. They always find new ways to camouflage their viruses. They tend to write on behalf of well-known organizations. Thus, if you receive a message from your bank, for example, verify the sender. Your spam filters are not flawless. Go to the bank’s official website and compare the email addresses listed there with the one you have received a message from. If they don’t match, delete the pretender. Don’t let your guard down even if the addresses match. Stealing or camouflaging an email address is not a problem for a capable hacker. Opt for red flags. A reliable organization, such as your bank, would use your real name to address you. If the letter starts with “Dear Customer” or “Dear Friend,” proceed very cautiously. Don’t interact with the message. If it has hyperlinks, do NOT click on them. Links can be corrupted. Go online and check if someone else has received such a letter. You can also call your bank. When it comes to viruses, one can never be too sure!

Why is this dangerous?

Gh0st RAT is the reason why people are afraid of Trojan horses, this parasite slithers into your computer unnoticed and takes full control of your device. The Trojan establishes a connection to its remote server. The hackers can command it to do various things: install/uninstall programs, delete/create/steal personal files, download other viruses and malware, etc. Apart from everything else, Gh0st RAT can record keystroke, your physical and virtual activities. The Trojan is an advanced spying virus. It may steal personally identifiable Information, usernames, passwords, credit card details, etc. Every bit of information you enter via your PC can and will be stolen. Don’t use your infected computer for online banking. Don’t even think about using social media. You have been hacked! The hackers can use the information to blackmail you. They will lie and threaten. They will make your life hell. With Gh0st RAT on board, your computer is useless. This virus is very dangerous. Remove it before it causes irreversible damage!

Manual Gh0st RAT Removal Instructions

The Gh0st RAT 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 Gh0st RAT 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 Gh0st RAT related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Gh0st RAT startup location

STEP 3: Delete Gh0st RAT traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Gh0st RAT 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 Gh0st RAT 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 Gh0st RAT 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 Gh0st RAT

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 Gh0st RAT, 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 Gh0st RAT 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.