How to Remove Zeus Trojan Virus

Zeus Virus

This article informs people about Zeus Trojan virus that is detected as a highly damaging Trojan threat.

What is Zeus Virus?

Varients: Zbot, Zeus Gameover, Trojan-Spy.Win32.Zbot

Virus Type: Malware, Botnet, banking Trojan

Zeus Virus or Zeus Trojan is a highly infectious program designed by cyber criminals to steal financial data of users from the target computer. This virus was first detected in 2007 and mainly attacks Windows OS. It is often detected as Zbot that used for various botnet attacks around the world. And it’s not surprise to say that it is one of the most successful botnet attacks that haunted millions of computer users and managed to steal monetary information.

Although, Zeus virus was shut down in 2010, but then the bad actors used its source code to build its variants and distributed them using various social engineering attacks. Since then, the Zeus virus became more destructive threat among windows users.

The developer of Zeus Trojan released its source-code publicly in 2011 which provided the other malware authors a chance to create new variants from the code. This is how many new variants of Zeus virus spread like devastating malware. It was the call for other malware authors to spread new threats.

What Zeus Trojan Does to The Infected Computers

The Zeus Trojan Virus is specifically designed to accomplish various malicious activities on the infected computer. But most importantly, it targets the windows users to steal financial data.

Let’s take a look on the functionalities of the Zeus Trojan Virus

It is used to carry out botnet attacks(a group of infected machines) that communicates through command and control server. And it is fully acts under the control of its author. A botnet can be used to carry out attacks on large scale and is capable to collect huge amount of data.

Zeus Trojan Virus is also known as banking Trojan as it steals banking credentials from the infected machine. To accomplish this, the Zbot Trojan installs key loggers that silently monitors the website visited by the user and records the login information of the bank accounts through the keystrokes. As the user hits on their keyboard, it records the keystrokes on the website entered and send the information to its authors.

Many versions of the Zeus virus also affected the mobile devices by trying to break the two-factor authentication and accessing the devices to dig out financial data.

As earlier said, this malware mainly attacks the Windows OS, but many new versions of the threat was out whose traces was found within other OS like Symbian, BlackBerry and even Android devices.

How Zeus Trojan Virus Infects Your Computer

Like any other malware that takes the advantage of system vulnerabilities and incautious behaviour of users, the Zeus Virus is attempts the same approach. Although, there can be various ways for the malware to intrude, but let’s discuss about the most prominent ones.

Spam email attachments: The malware distributors find it easy to inject the payloads of the virus within the mail attachments. The emails are subjected as any job offer, invoice, discounts or so. Thus, it is not surprising that user quickly opens the attachment, without verifying the sender. As soon as the user downloads the attachment, the malicious scripts starts executing, that downloads the Zeus Trojan on the computer.
Drive-by downloads: Mostly user gets the infection through drive-by downloads. The hackers drops malicious codes to websites, sometimes they also corrupt the genuine sites, as user mostly visits them. As the user downloads any program or click the infected link within the website, then the malware easily enters through the computer.

Not only the above, Zeus Trojan and other malware may also spread through fake links within posts, comments or messages within social media websites. This is the new method being user’s by spammers to cheat users. They even hack social media accounts to spread the malware. Thus, we should always be careful while downloading spam mail attachments, downloading freeware from bundled third-party sites.

Due to the massive outbreak of Zeus Trojan and its invective potentials, the hackers found a new way fool users using its name. Although, the Zeus virus was neutralized in 2010, several spammers started running the tech scam campaign as “ZEUS VIRUS DETECTED”. This new scam is still threatening users around the globe and making profit out of it.

Manual Removal of such threats is nearly impossible, thus you need to scan your computer with powerful anti-virus program to successfully remove the Zeus Trojan virus.

If You are infected with “ZEUS VIRUS DETECTED” Tech Scam Pop-up virus then follow the link get the complete removal solution here.

How to Protect Yourself From Zeus Trojan

It is always better to follow some best practices that is the least your can do to prevent yourself from Zeus Trojan. Here are few guidelines which, if you follow strictly can help you to stay away from malware.

Always avoid downloading software programs from third-party websites. As the free downloads often bundle unwanted programs within. As it is the most common way viruses spread. Also avoid visiting adult sites, illegal/pirated downloads, P2P sharing of files and random clicking on ads.
Being safe also means not clicking on links in email or social media messages unless you were expecting the message. Remember: Even if the message is from a trusted source, if that source is afflicted with Zeus, the message could still be corrupt.
Never use public wi-fi for online transactions, enable two-factor authentication to your accounts. This authentication step will send a warning to your mobile device. Although, you know that Zeus virus sends out botnets to crack the username and passwords of your accounts. But still it will increase the difficulty for the virus to attack.
Last but not the least, it is very important to have an updated and active anti-malware program installed. It is help prevent your system to be infected and warn you each time, any unwanted program attempts to attack your computer. Additionally, keeping a powerful anti-malware program running will scan and remove any threat that if somehow enters to your computer.

As there are variety of anti-virus programs out there, it is important to choose which provides you maximum security in minimal maintenance. Its a genuine advice don’t just go for free-trial software, as it does not provide you full security. If you still not have the one then we suggest you to try out HitmanPro.Alert that provides complete security against all odds.

It also keeps its threat database updated, as said above the Zeus Trojan has released its source code publicly. So there is no stopping for Zeus virus, more of its variants could be out any time. Only a proactive security solution can vigilantly acts against all new traces and of threats and block it right away. This is the best way to deal with Zeus Trojan virus.