Mshta.exe virus - how it works, removal and precautions

The Mshta.exe process is a virus with a wide range of functions. For example, it is able to extract cryptocurrency - for this type of activity requires a lot of resources, including your processor and RAM. This can lead to their destruction, as well as an increase in your electricity bills. Your confidential data is also at risk, as it may be collected and sent to third parties. These include phone numbers, credit card details and passwords, and your online accounts, bank accounts, and digital wallets are vulnerable to attack. If this does not happen, you still risk losing confidentiality.

How to remove the Mshta.exe malicious process.

mshta.exe - what is this process

Threats, such as Mshta.exe, can also install additional malware on your PC, including browser redirection programs, adware and phishing. The first two are created to advertise inside your internet browser and generate traffic, bringing revenue to third parties. The third one encrypts your data and tries to make you believe that you can return your PC to normal by paying for the decryption. It is strongly recommended to avoid such viruses as Mshta.exe, since they can cause great damage. To do this, you need to reduce the number of visits to suspicious sources and install only browser extensions or plugins that have been confirmed as safe. If you often download software from the Internet, do it only from those sites that are checked by other users or anti-virus software. Even official programs can be a source of infection by the process, so always choose “Individual installation” - this allows you to deselect all unnecessary components. Follow these guidelines, and this should be enough to provide the computer with the protection it needs.

Symptoms of Mshta.exe virus infection:

  • You get different types of pop-ups or warning messages.
  • Your computer is slow.
  • Antivirus or firewall is not working.
  • Redirect to suspicious third-party websites.
  • Trojan can change the default browser home page, search engine and other browser settings.
  • Some of the installed applications do not start.
  • You can not connect to the Internet or it is very slow.
  • The computer turns on or off without any action on your part.

Trojan sources Mshta.exe

  • Spam messages containing malicious attachments or hyperlinks.
  • Hacking websites.
  • Vulnerabilities in unlocked Windows operating system.
  • Vulnerabilities in obsolete web browsers.
  • Boot from disk.
  • Fake Flash Player Update Web Sites.
  • Installing pirated software or operating systems.
  • Facebook spam messages containing malicious attachments or links.
  • Malicious SMS messages (a trojan can target mobile devices).
  • Advertising - pop-up and banner ads.
  • Self-propagation (distribution from one infected PC to another via LAN).
  • Infected game servers.
  • Botnets
  • Peer to Peer Networks

Where is he located

Check for suspicious threats and keys in the following startup folders:

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Run;
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ RunOnce;
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ RunServices;
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ RunServicesOnce;
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows NT \ CurrentVersion \ Winlogon \ Userinit.

Then check the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder for suspicious registry keys. To remove all traces of the Trojan, you need to remove the malicious registry keys associated with it.

How To Fix mshta.exe Errors

IMPORTANT. Manual removal manual is recommended only for experienced PC users. Incorrect changes made to the settings of the Windows operating system, the settings of the Windows registry or browser can lead to system crashes or software errors.

Uninstall Mshta.exe using secure mode with network support. Why choose this reboot method instead of the normal safe mode? Safe Mode with Networking allows you to access the Internet to download the necessary tools to help you remove the Trojan from Mshta.exe from your PC. You can run Windows 10 in safe mode with network support using one of the methods below. Depending on the type of error, one of the described startup methods may not work correctly.

Step 1: Start your PC in safe mode with network support

If you have a new computer with a UEFI BIOS and SSD hard drive, pressing the F8 and Shift + F8 keys to switch to safe mode may not work. The easiest way to boot into safe mode with network support is to use advanced options.

  1. Click the "Windows" button in the lower left corner and select "Power", then hold down the "Shift" and click "Restart". The computer will restart. You will see a window with several parameters.
  2. Select “Troubleshooting”. Then Advanced options.
  3. Go to “Launch Options” in the “Advanced Options” window.
  4. Click the "Restart" button. The computer will restart again. You will see the "Startup Options" window with various advanced troubleshooting modes.
  5. Select "Enable Secure Mode with Networking" and press F5 to activate this mode.

Safe mode with network support allows you to access the Internet to download the necessary software that can help you remove malware from your PC.

Step 2: Download Antivirus

After you boot into safe mode with network support, launch your web browser and download reliable anti-virus software to scan your PC for malicious files and Mshta.exe processes. If you do not want to purchase a license for anti-malware software, you can simply check your system for viruses and then manually delete the detected malicious files.

Step 3: Delete the malicious files installed by the Trojan

As soon as an exploit kit penetrates your computer, it will download and install trojan files into your system. You must manually check the following system folders for files with the extensions .cmd, .btm, .bat, .bmp, .dll and executable files (.exe) that can be created by a trojan virus:

  • \% TEMP% \\;
  • \% APPDATA% \;
  • \% ProgramData% \;
  • \% UserpProfile% \.

Is it possible to complete it

It is strongly recommended to close the antivirus and clean the Windows registry to remove all entries related to the Trojan infection. The Windows registry contains all the settings and information for software applications and user accounts in the Windows operating system. To make changes to the registry, you must run the registry editor utility.

  1. Click Windows + R and enter Run regedit or regedit.exe in the Open: search field. Click the OK button or the Enter key. When you first open the registry editor, on the left side you will see a tree containing all the sections with values ​​and data on the right side. After opening the registry editor, you need to find and delete registry keys and values ​​created by a trojan infection.
  2. Press Ctrl + F (or go to Menu - Edit - Find) to open the search panel.
  3. Find the names of the files associated with the Trojan threat that affect your computer and enter it in the "Search" text box. Check all the checkboxes and click the Find Next button.
  4. Right-click on the registry entry and select "Delete" in the context menu. Repeat this process for each registry entry related to malware or adware.
  5. Click "Yes" in the confirmation window.

How to delete

How to remove mshta.exe? If you cannot start your computer in safe mode with network support, try performing system recovery using safe mode using the command line. To remove a virus, click the Windows button in the lower left corner and select “Power”, then click “Restart”. The computer will be restarted. You will see a window with several parameters. Select “Troubleshooting”. Then select Advanced Options. Go to “Launch Options” in the “Advanced Options” window. Click the "Restart" button.

The computer will restart again. You will see the "Startup Options" window with various advanced troubleshooting modes. Select "Enable Safe Mode" using the command line and press F6 to activate it. After the computer restarts, an MS-DOS command prompt window will appear. Type cd restore using the command line and press Enter. Type rstrui.exe in the next line and press Enter. Check if the System Restore window opens and click the Next button to continue. Select a recovery point with a date before malware infection and click the Next button.

Security Tips to Protect Your Computer from Trojans:

  • Backup important data on a regular basis. Use an external hard drive and / or cloud service for backup.
  • Enable System Restore on your operating system.
  • Disable macros in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
  • Install the Microsoft Office Viewer to check the downloaded Word or Excel document without macros.
  • Configure mail to block attachments with suspicious extensions, such as .exe, .vbs, and .scr.
  • Do not open attachments in messages that look suspicious.
  • Do not follow spam links in suspicious emails.
  • Do not click on suspicious hyperlinks or open adult photos or videos received on social networks or instant messengers.
  • Correct your standardization of the Windows operating system.
  • Do not use a Windows user account with administrator privileges on a daily basis.
  • Turn on the "Show File Extensions" option to see which types of files you open. Stay away from suspicious files with extensions such as “.exe”, “.vbs” and “.scr”. Trojan files can often look like they have two extensions - for example, .pdf.exe, “.avi.exe” or “.xlsx.scr” - so pay attention to these types of files.
  • Disable the Windows PowerShell infrastructure.
  • Disable Windows Script Host (WSH) technology.
  • Use the Windows Group or local policy editor to create software restriction policies to disable executable files running from the AppData, LocalAppData, Temp, ProgramData and Windows \ SysWow folders.
  • Disable file sharing to ensure that the Trojan virus will remain isolated only on the infected PC.
  • Disable Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
  • Turn off unused Bluetooth or infrared ports.
  • Windows Firewall is turned on and configured correctly.
  • Use trojan-protected antivirus software and keep its database up to date.
  • Update your web browsers.
  • Remove obsolete and unnecessary browser extensions, plug-ins and add-ons.
  • Keep Adobe Flash Player, Java and other important software up to date.
  • Always check for compressed or archived files.
  • Use strong passwords.
  • Install the AdblockPlus browser extension to block pop-ups and alerts, as they are also used to spread Trojan attacks.
  • Deactivate AutoPlay to stop malicious processes from automatically starting from an external drive, such as external hard drives or USB drives.