The counter wmail service com Trojan is a dangerous piece of malware that can infect your computer and cause significant damage if not removed properly. This malware operates by disguising itself as a legitimate Windows service, allowing it to run continuously in the background without detection. Left unchecked, the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan can slow down your computer, display intrusive ads, redirect your web traffic, and even steal sensitive information.
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Fortunately, there are steps you can take to fully remove this Trojan from your Windows computer. This article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to detecting and eliminating the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan using the most secure and effective methods.
What is the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan?
The counter.wmail-service.com Trojan is a specific variant of malware categorized as a Trojan horse. Like the mythological Trojan horse, it disguises itself as something harmless in order to sneak onto your computer undetected.
Specifically, the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan masquerades as the legitimate Windows Service Host Process (svchost.exe) in the Windows Task Manager. This allows it to run continuously in the background without appearing suspicious.
Once installed, this Trojan can:
- Slow down your computer by overusing resources
- Serve up intrusive pop-up and redirect ads
- Track your web browsing activities
- Record your keystrokes to steal usernames, passwords, and other sensitive data
- Download additional malware onto your computer
Left unaddressed, this Trojan can cause serious harm to your system and compromise your personal information. The good news is, there are proven methods for detecting and removing it for good.
1. Scan for malware with Windows Defender
Windows Defender is the built-in antivirus program in Windows 10. While often maligned, it has improved dramatically in recent years and can detect and remove many kinds of malware.
To scan for the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan with Windows Defender:
- Type “Windows Defender” into the Windows search bar and select the Windows Defender app.
- Click on “Virus & threat protection” in the Windows Defender menu.
- Under “Current Threats”, click “Scan options.”
- Select “Full scan” and click “Scan now” to scan your full system.
If any threats such as the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan are found, Windows Defender will automatically quarantine or remove the infected files. Be sure to click “Clean threats” after the scan to erase any detected malware.
2. Run an anti-malware scan with Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a highly effective program specialized in detecting and removing tricky malware like the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan. Running a Malwarebytes scan can identify infections missed by other antivirus software.
To scan with Malwarebytes:
- Download and install Malwarebytes for free from malwarebytes.com.
- Open the Malwarebytes app and click on “Scan” in the dashboard.
- Select “Threat scan” and then click “Scan now” to perform a full system scan.
- If malware including the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan is detected, click “Quarantine selected” to remove the malicious files.
- Optionally click “Apply Actions” to undo any system changes made by the Trojan.
Malwarebytes is extremely effective at locating hard-to-find malware like Trojans. If Windows Defender doesn’t find the infection, Malwarebytes almost certainly will.
3. Identify and remove suspicious programs
The counter.wmail-service.com Trojan often disguises itself by using deceptive program names similar to legitimate Windows processes and services.
Checking your apps and programs list in Windows can help you identify shady programs that may be associated with the Trojan:
- Open “Apps & Features” in Windows Settings.
- Review the list of installed programs on your computer.
- Look for any unfamiliar or suspicious-sounding programs, especially those using generic names.
- If you find any dubious programs, uninstall them – this will remove any malware disguised as legitimate software.
Getting rid of shady programs with generic, misleading names can eliminate some of the malware allowing the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan to operate undetected.
4. Reset your browsers to remove harmful extensions
The counter.wmail-service.com Trojan commonly installs malicious browser extensions that infect your web browsers. Resetting your browsers disables these extensions and undoes any unwanted changes.
To reset your browsers:
- Google Chrome: Navigate to Settings > Advanced > Reset and cleanup. Click “Restore settings to their original defaults” to reset.
- Mozilla Firefox: Click the menu button > Help > Troubleshooting Information. Click “Refresh Firefox” to reset the browser.
- Internet Explorer: Open the Settings gear icon > Internet Options. Click the “Advanced” tab and select “Reset”. Check the box to reset browser settings.
- Microsoft Edge: Open Settings and more > Settings > Reset browser. Click “Restore settings to their default values” to reset.
Resetting removes any potentially dangerous extensions or changes to settings caused by the Trojan. This should disable any browser behavior it was using to infect your computer.
5. Update your operating system and software
Maintaining outdated software is one of the main ways malware like the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan infiltrates your system. Hackers exploit security holes in older versions of programs.
To protect against this:
- Make sure your Windows operating system is fully updated. Click the Start button > Settings > Update & Security > Check for Updates. Install any available system updates.
- Update all your software programs to the latest versions. This includes things like Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Oracle Java, and web browsers. Software companies regularly patch security gaps that malware can use to infect you.
Updating closes these security holes so the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan can’t sneak onto your computer using vulnerabilities in outdated software.
6. Restore your system from a clean backup
If all else fails, you can completely remove the counter.wmail-serviceTrojan by restoring your computer from a clean backup. This resets your system to an earlier uninfected state.
To restore from a backup:
- Create a system restore point in Windows when your system is clean. This gives you a snapshot to roll back to before infection.
- Use Windows System Restore to roll back your computer to the restore point before any infection.
- Alternatively, you can use Windows 10’s Fresh Start feature to completely reinstall Windows, removing all apps and files.
- On a regular basis, back up important data to an external hard drive or cloud backup. This gives you the ability to wipe your system and restore from backup at any time.
Wiping your computer or reverting to an earlier restore point can eliminate even persistent malware like the counter.wmail-service Trojan. Just be sure to backup your personal files first.
Recommended Security Practices
Removing the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan is the first step, but you should take other measures to boost your overall system security:
- Install a highly-rated antivirus program and keep it constantly updated
- Avoid downloading software from unofficial sites – stick to trusted sources
- Never open email attachments from unknown senders
- Turn on firewalls and enable auto updates for your operating system/software
- Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication where possible
- Regularly backup critical data to an external hard drive or cloud service
- Exercise caution when visiting websites and don’t click suspicious links/pop-ups
Adopting smart security habits makes it much harder for malware like the counter.wmail-service.com Trojan to infect your computer in the future.
In Conclusion
The counter.wmail-service.com Trojan is a devious malware threat that can sneak onto your system unnoticed and cause ongoing issues. Thankfully, you can leverage built-in Windows tools like Defender along with specialized software like Malwarebytes to detect and destroy this infection. Resetting your browser, updating your software, and restoring from backup can also help eliminate all traces of the Trojan for good.
With the step-by-step guide above, you can remove the counter.wmail-service Trojan and take back control of your computer. Just be sure to pair malware removal with vigilant security practices moving forward to keep this sneaky Trojan off your system.