How to Remove Astaroth Malware

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

Astaroth is a nasty malware which falls under the Trojan horse umbrella. This multipurpose parasite corrupts your entire system. It opens your OS to constant surveillance and malicious interference. You are in serious trouble. Astaroth corrupts essential directories, modifies the registry, drops malicious files, and starts dangerous processes. This advanced virus even forces legitimate processes to work for its malicious operations. Do not tolerate this invader. The more time it spends on your system, the worse your predicament gets. The virus exposes your system to great danger. It threatens to install other viruses and malware. The Trojan is also very likely to steal sensitive information, such as login credentials and banking details. The virus, of course, can also be used for fraud, theft, and data corruption. This nasty virus is unpredictable. It affects its individual victims differently. No one can tell you what the future holds for your PC. What will happen to your device depends on the hackers and their current plans. You can be sure, though, that you won’t like the outcome. Do not test your luck. Remove the nasty Trojan before it gets a chance to cause irreparable damage. Find where Astaroth lurks and delete it upon detection! Clean your system for good!

How did I get infected with?

Astaroth doesn’t target individual users. The Trojan uses mass distribution strategies to reach a broad spectrum of potential victims. This virus relies on spam emails, corrupted links, and fake updates. Its methods are very effective. Yet, they are not flawless. The Trojan infects your device only when you allow it to. Astaroth needs you (the user) to click on the corrupted links, to download the malicious files, to install the fake updates. It preys on your naivety. Do not make its job easier. No anti-virus can protect you if you throw caution to the wind. The key to a secure and virus-free computer is caution. Even a little extra attention can spare you an avalanche of problems. Don’t visit shady websites. Download software from reliable sources only. Don’t skip the terms and conditions. And, of course, be very careful with your inbox. Treat all unexpected messages as potential threats. Always verify the senders. If you receive an unexpected email from your bank, for example, 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 email addresses into a search engine. If they were used for shady business, someone might have complained online. And, of course, trust your instincts. If something looks suspicious, there’s probably a good reason for that! Do not let viruses trick you. Be always vigilant and doubting!

Why is this dangerous?

Astaroth is a nightmare. It sneaks into your system and wreaks it. In complete silence, the virus corrupts essential directories, alters settings, starts malicious processes. You cannot notice the parasite in time to prevent its infiltration. Once successfully installed, though, corruption ensues. The virus makes a mess out of your system. You start noticing problems everywhere. Whether you edit a document or browse the Web, issues pop up. The virus may trigger various errors and alerts. These issues, however, are not the problem. They warn how meddling and dangerous the malware is. This nasty virus messes with your system. It may download and install other parasites such as spyware, keyloggers, and ransomware. Astaroth opens your device to numerous threats. It jeopardizes both your privacy and security. You are dealing with a nasty parasite. Do not play games with this invader. Take action against it! Remove it the first chance you get.

Manual Astaroth Removal Instructions

The Astaroth 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 Astaroth 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 Astaroth related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Astaroth startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Astaroth 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 Astaroth 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 Astaroth 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 Astaroth

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 Astaroth, 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 Astaroth 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.