Any kind of malware exists with the only target – make money on you¹. And the programmers of these things are not thinking of morality – they use all possible tactics. Stealing your personal data, receiving the comission for the banners you watch for them, exploiting your CPU and GPU to mine cryptocurrencies – that is not the full list of what they do. Do you want to be a riding equine? That is a rhetorical question.

What does the pop-up with Worm:W32/Mydoom detection mean?

The Worm:W32/Mydoom detection you can see in the lower right corner is shown to you by Microsoft Defender. That anti-malware application is quite OK at scanning, but prone to be mainly unreliable. It is unprotected to malware attacks, it has a glitchy interface and problematic malware removal capabilities. Thus, the pop-up which says about the MyDoom is just a notification that Defender has actually spotted it. To remove it, you will likely need to make use of another anti-malware program.

Microsoft Defender: “Worm:W32/Mydoom”

The exact Worm:W32/Mydoom infection is a really nasty thing. It sits into your computer under the guise of something benevolent, or as a piece of the program you have got on a forum. Therefore, it makes all possible steps to make your system weaker. At the end of this “party”, it downloads other malicious things – ones which are choosen by cyber burglars who manage this malware. Hence, it is likely impossible to predict the effects from MyDoom actions. And the unpredictability is one of the most unwanted things when it comes to malware. That’s why it is better not to choose at all, and don’t give it even a single chance to complete its task.

Threat Summary:

Is Worm:W32/Mydoom dangerous?

As I have actually specified previously, non-harmful malware does not exist. And Worm:W32/Mydoom is not an exception. This virus modifies the system configurations, edits the Group Policies and registry. All of these components are critical for correct system functioning, even when we are not talking about system security. Therefore, the malware which MyDoom contains, or which it will download after some time, will try to get maximum revenue from you. Cybercriminals can steal your data, and then push it on the Darknet. Using adware and browser hijacker functionality, embedded in Worm:W32/Mydoom virus, they can make revenue by showing you the banners. Each view gives them a penny, but 100 views per day = $1. 1000 victims who watch 100 banners per day – $1000. Easy math, but sad conclusions. It is a bad choice to be a donkey for crooks.

How did I get this virus?

It is difficult to line the origins of malware on your computer. Nowadays, things are mixed, and spreading methods utilized by adware 5 years ago can be used by spyware nowadays. However, if we abstract from the exact distribution way and will think of why it has success, the reply will be really uncomplicated – low level of cybersecurity understanding. People click on ads on weird websites, click the pop-ups they receive in their browsers, call the “Microsoft tech support” assuming that the strange banner that says about malware is true. It is important to understand what is legit – to stay away from misunderstandings when attempting to find out a virus.

Microsoft tech support scam page

Nowadays, there are two of the most widespread methods of malware distribution – bait e-mails and also injection into a hacked program. While the first one is not so easy to stay away from – you need to know a lot to recognize a counterfeit – the second one is simple to get rid of: just do not use hacked apps. Torrent-trackers and other providers of “totally free” applications (which are, actually, paid, but with a disabled license checking) are really a giveaway point of malware. And Worm:W32/Mydoom is simply among them.

How to remove the Worm:W32/Mydoom from my PC?

Worm:W32/Mydoom malware is extremely hard to erase manually. It stores its documents in multiple places throughout the disk, and can recover itself from one of the parts. Moreover, a lot of modifications in the registry, networking setups and Group Policies are quite hard to locate and return to the original. It is much better to use a specific app – exactly, an anti-malware app. GridinSoft Anti-Malware will definitely fit the best for virus removal goals.

Why GridinSoft Anti-Malware? It is really lightweight and has its databases updated practically every hour. Moreover, it does not have such bugs and vulnerabilities as Microsoft Defender does. The combination of these details makes GridinSoft Anti-Malware suitable for eliminating malware of any form.

Remove the viruses with GridinSoft Anti-Malware

• Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware. After the installation, you will be offered to perform the Standard Scan. Approve this action.
• Standard scan checks the logical disk where the system files are stored, together with the files of programs you have already installed. The scan lasts up to 6 minutes.
• When the scan is over, you may choose the action for each detected virus. For all files of MyDoom the default option is “Delete”. Press “Apply” to finish the malware removal.

References

1. Read about malware types on GridinSoft Threat encyclopedia.