What is the Shortcut Virus?
The shortcut virus also called the Houdini worm, basically affects various removable media, for example, SD cards, USB thumb drives, and also other portable data carriers. When connected to a PC, the attacked volume will be shown in the file hierarchy of the system in the form of a shortcut which is just a few KB large. The information, similarly, will be in the form of shortcuts as compared to the original file. To finish it off, the things more often can’t be opened in a consistent manner and, when clicked, execute the malicious program rather. The bug is a Visual Basic script (VBS) file, which does a couple of disruptive things when implemented, apart from the activity of the shortcut related virus. It drops or creates duplicate copies of itself in the attacked operating system at specific locations, specifically the temporary folder files, the registry and the startup configuration. In this way, when the computer is booted up, the virus or malware gets automatically executed, searches for plugged in removable devices, and then distort representation of file thereof. This then might trigger identity theft as well as unfriendly outcomes.
Likewise if the client has an antivirus then the problem is compounded because the Antivirus may delete the virus and shortcuts yet they won’t have the capacity to restore the documents or in many cases leaves your flash drive empty.
Types of Shortcut Virus
Shortcut virus has two types; the most widely recognized is Flash drive Shortcut virus, then comes the Folder and File Shortcut virus.
- Folder and File Shortcut Virus
This virus replicates your folders and files, replace and hide it with shortcuts file .exe. That shortcut virus is a blend of Worm and Trojan. The terrible thing is that it’ll leave no option. Then after implementing it, this shortcut virus replicate itself and introduces a malicious or malevolent software that screens your habit of computing and worst, take your important information like information about your credit card.
- Flash drive shortcut virus
This is Trojan; it combines every document or file in your computer and place it into a hidden folder. And then, it makes a shortcut .exe of Flash Disk. Once implemented, it introduces malicious apps that see you’re computing routine and also steal your personal information if not identified.
First Aide
Sadly, not many antiviruses can easily detect shortcut virus. So, the good thing you people can do is not to open in any case your hard drives or any portable devices via “autorun” as well as from “My Computer”. Make this thing as your habit. Here’s the First Aide list to do;
- Don’t open Flash Drive by means of “autorun” or from “My Computer”.
- Always open Hard disk and Flash drive by right-clicking on it, after that click “explore” or enter the particular letter of the drive in the windows bar in order to prevent any type of script from running.
- Follow the guideline here how to unhide Files which are hidden by virus, how to see the original files which are covered up by shortcut virus and to abstain from executing it.
The above-mentioned steps are intended for shortcut virus which helps you in preventing your computer from shortcut viruses. It will likewise help you recognize the genuine document from the infection made records. As said before, even well-known antivirus failed to remove shortcut virus. Even so, I’ll be sharing with you 2 strategies to delete shortcut virus from your computer, follow the mentioned below steps:
Method 1: Removing Shortcut Virus by Utilizing CMD (Command Prompt)
This method makes use of the command prompt. In order to implement this method, do follow the following step:
- Press START -> RUN -> type cmd.
- Go to the desired directory by the entering the letter of your flash drive or hard disk and after that append a colon at the end of it. E.g. F:
- After that type the line “attrib f: *.* /d/s/-h –r –s”.
You ought to see now all your files.
Method 2: Removing shortcut virus by utilizing shortcut virus remover tools
Follow the following steps:
- First of all download the shortcut virus remover tool. After this extract the files by utilizing WinRar or some other file decompressor.
- Run the “Trojorm Removal tool”, confirm that you execute it in the flash drive, sit tight for some time until the scanning process is complete and after that click on “Enter”.
- Copy the target folder which is affected by Shortcut Virus, and then paste it in your external drive or flash drive.
- Open it by right-clicking on it, then choose “open with” and after that select “notepad”.
- Search for H drive (H:) and then change it as per your letter of Flash Drive (for example E:, or F:, and so forth)
When you’re done with it, save that. Now you double-click on the “vbs” format file or open it by right-clicking on it, then select “Windows Based Script Host”. . . soon after executing the script, your shortcut virus must be gone and your documents are currently visible now.
Hope this “How to remove shortcut virus?” guide help you in removing the unwanted virus off your computer and keep it safe and secure.
