How to Remove CLOUDNET Trojan

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

CLOUDNET is a nasty PC virus. This malware is classified as a Trojan horse. If you’ve heard about Trojan horses, you know how dangerous they are. CLOUDNET is not an exception. This Trojan enters your computer in complete and utter silence. Before you get a chance to act, the Trojan infects essential for your OS files and processes. It alters your system and application settings and rewrites your System Registry. The Trojan may cause some apps of yours to freeze and crash frequently. Your anti-virus program is very likely to be disabled. CLOUDNET interferes with every aspect of your computer-related activities. Every time you as much as touch your browser, your screen gets covered with pop-ups. When you load a heavier application, your PC seem to freeze. The Trojan causes errors and program failures. It forces you to reboot your OS frequently. But a simple system restart won’t fix your problems. The Trojan loads together with your OS and is always running in the background. The virus actively communicates with a remote server (the hackers), too. And this means trouble. The hackers can easily use the Trojan to further infect your computer. They can transfer other malware, spyware and even ransomware on your device. Don’t wait to see what will happen to your machine. Remove the Trojan before it’s too late. We have provided a detailed manual removal guide below this article. However, before you proceed with the removal, bear in mind that CLOUDNET is a sophisticated malware. Its manual removal is not easy. If you are not confident in your computer skills, we recommend you to use an automated solution.

How did I get infected with?

As sophisticated as CLOUDNET is, this Trojan still relies on the classic distribution methods. Torrents, corrupted software copies, fake updates, drive-by downloads, and spam email attachments. A little extra caution, however, can prevent these techniques from succeeding. Needless to say, you should stay away from shady websites. There are numerous bogus web pages out there. They contain malicious scripts which execute drive-by downloads. These downloads are almost completely invisible. They start without your interaction and have no visualization. A good anti-malware program can prevent them. Consider investing in one. You know better than to download questionable email attachments, but did you know that the links embedded in the emails can also be corrupted? Don’t ever underestimate the crooks. They always find new ways to camouflage their malicious programs. When you receive a message from a stranger, take your time to verify the sender. You can enter the questionable email address into some search engine. If it has been used for shady business, someone might have complained. Also, if the message is sent from an organization (your bank, for example), go to their 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. The war with the viruses is not easy. It is up to you to keep your machine virus-free. So, don’t be lazy. Always do your due diligence.

Why is this dangerous?

CLOUDNET is a serious Trojan. Once on board, it takes full control of your OS. The virus has admin privileges and can manipulate your system settings. It can install/uninstall programs. The hackers can use it to manipulate your machine as they please. It’s hard to predict what will happen to your computer. It all depends on the hackers and what they want at the moment. If they lack cyber coins, they can turn your machine into a miner. They may use the Trojan to steal your personal files, usernames, and passwords. Or, they may lock your computer and blackmail you. What is worse, they may simply destroy your OS for fun. Meanwhile, you will suffer the consequences, CLOUDNET leaves your PC sluggish and unresponsive. It slows down your Internet Connection speed, too. The Trojan has no positive effects. It is a breach of your security. You don’t have time to waste. The more time the Trojan spends on your PC, the more dangerous it becomes. Take immediate measures against the virus. The sooner you clean your computer, the better!

Manual CLOUDNET Removal Instructions

The CLOUDNET 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 CLOUDNET 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 CLOUDNET related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate CLOUDNET startup location

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

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down CLOUDNET 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 CLOUDNET 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 CLOUDNET 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 CLOUDNET

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 CLOUDNET, 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 CLOUDNET 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.