Guide to Remove ZUpdater.exe Trojan

ZUpdater.exe Trojan is a nasty threat to the Windows OS based devices. It uses the infected system’s resources to generate illicit crypto-currency without the user’s permission or knowledge.

Software Bundling & Free Programs are the prime methods used by ZUpdater.exe Trojan to proliferate its infection. Some of the free downloads offered on the internet do not reveal if other software is being installed in the background. Thus, they easily make their way into the system without user’s consent.

Once ZUpdater.exe virus is installed, it consumes over 90% of the CPU’s power & graphics card power of the targeted system. This way, it makes the system extremely sluggish & deteriorates the performance of the PC.

According to cyber-security analysts, while the system is running slow, hackers use computer’s resources to generate illicit revenue for themselves.

Victims from around the world are looking for ways to remove ZUpdater.exe Trojan from their system. Refer to our guide to get rid of Trojan virus. Also learn how to prevent your system against any possible malware attack.

Threat Summary of ZUpdater.exe Trojan

Threat Summary

Name	ZUpdater.exe
Type	Trojan
Category	Malware
Targeted OS	Windows
Symptoms	It displays ZUpdater.exe process error, makes the system extremely sluggish & unresponsive. Unexpected errors & system crash may frequently appear.
Damage	It mints crypto-currency in the background while consuming the resources of system. It gathers sensitive information of the user & installs other malware such as adware & spyware on the system.
Removal	Download Removal Tool

Threat Behavior of ZUpdater.exe Trojan

ZUpdater.exe is a malicious program that has been considered a Potentially Unwanted Program by the cyber-security analysts. It is being used as a Trojan horse to intrude into a user’s system & use its resources to generate illegal revenue for them.

ZUpdater.exe Trojan stealthily invades the system via fraudulent software update links, freeware downloads from unreliable websites & software cracking applications.

Researchers have found that the Trojan creates ZUpdater.exe process error pop-up window. This window states that the error is caused due to insufficient system resources, which is a result of Bitcoin mining in the background.

This malicious process is stored in C drive of the infected system – C:\Users\Angie\AppData\Local\Temp\IXP000.TMP\ZUpdater.exe

The text of the error reads as follows:

“zupdate

Error creating process

Reason: Insufficient system resources exist to complete the requested service”

The appearance of this error indicates that your system is no longer free from infections. It can carry out a myriad of malicious activities on your system.

Symptoms that make the presence of ZUpdater.exe Trojan evident

1). It alters your system settings, modifies the registry files, drops malicious files & starts malicious processes.

2).The system becomes extremely sluggish.

3). Appearance of questionable processes such as ZUpdater.exe in the Task Manager.

4). Unexpected Errors causes your system Operating System to crash.

5).The system may take longer than usual to respond to the commands

6). Unexpected behavior of the applications & system

7). Ransom pop-ups & fake warnings may spam the screen, prompting the user to download some vague paid software.

Malign Activities Carried Out By ZUpdater.exe Trojan

Apart from carrying out these malign activities on the infected system, Zupdate.Exe Trojan is suspected of stealing sensitive information of the users.

It can compromise your system in several ways, such as:

1). Gather information such as IP Address, Username & personal address

2). Collect login credentials to various sites

3). Access your windows administrator & disable Windows Antivirus & firewall

4). Install various malware such as adware & spyware on your system

5). Track your web-browsing activities such as search preferences & visited web-pages.

6). Obtain system information such as OS Type & Version, Installed Browser & Version.

7). Logs the keys typed on the keyboard.

It is evident that the presence of Zupdate.Exe Trojan is a threat to user’s privacy & data. Therefore, we recommend removing ZUpdater.exe Trojan from the system as soon as the error is encountered.

Distribution Techniques of ZUpdater.exe Trojan

The cyber-criminals use various strategies for malware distribution which include –

1. Software Bundling: Software bundling is the process in which a malicious program is distributed with other free software, to get an unnoticed entry into your computer system. When a user installs a free application, the malicious programs gains a front door entry with the free application, the user has downloaded. Thus, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the installation screens while installing these free applications.
2. Infected Storage Devices: Your system can also get infected by using removable media such as USB hard drives and jump drives without scanning them with an anti-virus.
3. Spam Emails – Spamming is the most economic and common method used for the distribution of such malware. The targeted users get genuine looking emails which contain .doc, .txt, and other similar attachments. These attachments can be named as anything which can grab the user’s attention and triggers him/her to open the attachment. As soon as the user opens this attachment, the malware infects the user’s computer system.
4. Malicious Websites or Malevolent Advertisements: The malicious websites are the ones which are created just for promoting the malware infections. Such websites include but are not limited to porn sites, torrent sites and other free downloading platforms. By visiting such websites, the adware infects the user’s computer without permission. Fake advertisements and updates like Flash player and windows updates which ask the user to update to the latest version are a few examples. When the users click on such links, their computer system gets infected. That is why, it is highly recommended to resist clicking on such links. Also avoid clicking on advertisements offering free stuff such as Win an iPhones, cars or free overseas trips etc.

Download Vipre Malware Remover

Steps to remove ZUpdater.exe Trojan from your system

 STEP A: Reboot your system to safe mode with networking

To restart the system to Safe Mode with Networking,  if already switched ON then follow the below steps:

Windows 7/ Vista/ XP

1. Click on Windows icon present in the lower left corner of the computer screen.
2. Select and click  Restart.
3. When the screen goes blank, Keep tapping  F8  Key until you see the Advanced Boot Options window.
4. With the help of arrow keys on keyboard, Select Safe Mode with Networking  option from the list and press the Enter Key. The system will then restart to Safe Mode with Networking.

5 Once the system restarts, click on the username and enter the password (if any) to log in.

Windows 10 / Windows 8

1. Press and hold the Shift Key and simultaneously click on the windows icon present in the lower left corner of your computer screen.
2. While the Shift key is still pressed click on the Power button and then click on Restart.
3. Now select Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings.
4. When the Startup Settings screen appears which is the first screen to appear after restart, select and click on Enable Safe Mode with Networking. The system will then restart to Safe Mode with Networking.
5. Once the system restarts in Safe Mode, click on the username and enter the password, if any to log in.

STEP B: Remove the malicious file from System Configuration Settings

1. Type “Msconfig” in search box / Run Box, select it and press Enter.
2. Click on “Services” Tab and click on “Hide all Microsoft services”.
3. Select ZUpdater.exe Trojan from the list of remaining services and disable it by removing the tick mark from the checkbox and click on Apply button.

Windows 7

1. Click on the next tab – “Startup”.
2. Find any blank or suspicious entry or the entry with ZUpdater.exe Trojan mentioned and remove the check mark.
3. Click on Apply button and then click on OK.

Windows 10

1. Click on the next tab – “Startup”.
2. Take the mouse cursor to ‘Open task Manager‘ link and click on it.  This opens the Task Manager window.
3. Find any blank or suspicious entry or the entry with ZUpdater.exe Trojan mentioned and click on it.
4. Then click on Disable button.

STEP C: Delete the suspicious file from the Registry key

1. Press Windows Button and R key simultaneously to initiate the “Run Box”.
2. Type “Regedit” in Run Box, select it and press Enter.
3. An authorization dialog box will appear, then you just have to click “Yes”. (The dialog box appearance may vary depending on OS used. For Windows 10 the the dialog box looks like the first screenshot and for windows 7 it appears like the second screenshot)
4. In the registry editor, take the backup of the current registry settings before making any changes in case you want to revert to old settings later. For this, Click on File option in the menu and select Export. Save the entry at a known location.
5. From the Menu, Click Edit and Select Find.
6. Enter ZUpdater.exe Trojan and click Ok in the search box.
7. Select and delete suspicious  entries.

How to prevent ZUpdater.exe Trojan from infecting your system

1. Keeping the Operating System Updated- In order to remain protected and avoid such infections, it is recommended to keep your Operating System updated by enabling the automatic update on your system. The systems with outdated or older versions of Operating System become an easy target for the attackers.
2. Resist clicking on spam emails – One of the major techniques used for malware distribution is forwarding spam emails to the user. The system gets infected as soon as the user clicks on the attachment. These mails appear to be genuine, so be aware and resist falling for these tricks.
3. Keep an eye on third party installations- It is quite important that you take due care while installing any third party applications for they are major source of such infections. Such malware programs come bundled with the free applications thereby requiring the user to remain cautious.
4. Regular periodical backup- In order to keep your data and files safe, it is recommended to take regular back up of all your data and files either on an external drive or cloud.
5. Use Anti-Virus Protection- We strongly recommend the use of antivirus protection/internet security in your PC like Vipre and BULL GUARD so that it remains safe.
6. Enable the Ad Blocker/Popup Blocker in your browser- Enabling the popup blocker/ ad blocker in your chosen browser will help you to stay protected from annoying adware.