How to remove WinHound Trojan

Easy methods to delete WinHound Trojan in Windows computer

WinHound is another very notorious malware considered as Trojan horse virus. Cybercriminals behind this malware take advantages of bugs or issues in certain web browser, software, or operating system to spread this kind of malware in your computer. This virus can also be distributed by other shady/scam websites. Once executed, this Trojan installs other malicious threats, modify Internet Explorer default homepage and your desktop wallpaper. The new wallpaper of your Windows desktop clams your system is infected with malware or spyware and asks you to download and install this rough program in your computer.

As mentioned, WinHound Trojan malware changes your browser homepage that can cause unwanted browser redirection to malicious or insecure advertising websites. These advertisements can also be appeared on your desktop even when your browser is closed. These malicious ads can cause unwanted software downloads/installation and this way, highly dangerous malware or viruses can also be installed in your computer. Another malicious feature of this nasty Trojan virus is to use rootkit to cloak its files, running malicious processes and other related objects, and also run itself automatically on every Windows startup.

As Trojan, it can infect/corrupt your personal files including images, audios, videos, games, pdf, ppt, xlx, css, html, text, documents, databases and other formats of files. You can’t access or open your personal files anymore due to its nasty behaviours. This malware can cause high CPU, GPU & disk usage issue in computer. It uses more power of CPU, GPU and disk space by running malicious processes in your computer to degrade the overall performances of your computer. It is block or corrupts other legitimate processes already running in computer that can cause serious issues.

The motive of attackers or cybercriminals behind this malware is to monitor your online and system activities, and collect your personal information stored in your browser or in computer. They can collect your some information such as IP address, URLs search, login ID & password of your various online accounts, banking information and more details as well. They can also record video of your system activities, take screenshots and collect personal data stored in your device. In sort, this malware is unsafe at all. So, it is important to find and remove WinHound in computer.

How did you get WinHound Trojan in computer?

You download/install this type of malicious software by clicking malicious advertisements, visiting other shady websites, or by potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) or malware already installed in your computer. This type of malware can also be distributed if you have any bugs or issues with software or operating system installed in computer. Vulnerable computer can cause several issues like this malware attack. Trojan-type malware can also be distributed through spam or irrelevant emails that contain malicious emails or irrelevant emails. Once attachments or hyperlinks presented in spam emails opened, it executes certain codes/scripts to infect your computer with malware.

How to protect your system against Trojan horse virus?

Any applications must not be downloaded/installed or purchase from unsafe/untrustworthy websites. You should always try to download any applications from official/verified sources. Any attachments or hyperlinks presented in spam emails must not be opened. Also, you should keep up-to-date your operating system and all other software installed in your computer. Make sure you have powerful antivirus software installed in your computer with latest updates that could help you to find and remove all threats including latest malware in computer.

Antimalware Details And User Guide

Click Here For Windows Click Here For Mac

Important Note: This malware asks you to enable the web browser notifications. So, before you go the manual removal process, execute these steps.

Google Chrome (PC)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the Menu button
• Select “Settings”. Scroll the mouse downward to choose “Advanced” option
• Go to “Privacy and Security” section by scrolling downward and then select “Content settings” and then “Notification” option
• Find each suspicious URLs and click on three dots on the right side and choose “Block” or “Remove” option

Google Chrome (Android)

• Go to right upper corner of the screen and click on three dots to open the menu button and then click on “Settings”
• Scroll down further to click on “site settings” and then press on “notifications” option
• In the newly opened window, choose each suspicious URLs one by one
• In the permission section, select “notification” and “Off” the toggle button

Mozilla Firefox

• On the right corner of the screen, you will notice three dots which is the “Menu” button
• Select “Options” and choose “Privacy and Security” in the toolbar present in the left side of the screen
• Slowly scroll down and go to “Permission” section then choose “Settings” option next to “Notifications”
• In the newly opened window, select all the suspicious URLs. Click on the drop-down menu and select “Block”

Internet Explorer

• In the Internet Explorer window, select the Gear button present on the right corner
• Choose “Internet Options”
• Select “Privacy” tab and then “Settings” under the “Pop-up Blocker” section
• Select all the suspicious URLs one by one and click on the “Remove” option

Microsoft Edge

• Open the Microsoft Edge and click on the three dots on the right corner of the screen to open the menu
• Scroll down and select “Settings”
• Scroll down further to choose “view advanced settings”
• In the “Website Permission” option, click on “Manage” option
• Click on switch under every suspicious URL

Safari (Mac):

• On the upper right side corner, click on “Safari” and then select “Preferences”
• Go to “website” tab and then choose “Notification” section on the left pane
• Search for the suspicious URLs and choose “Deny” option for each one of them

Manual Steps to Remove WinHound:

Remove the related items of WinHound using Control-Panel

Windows 7 Users

Click “Start” (the windows logo at the bottom left corner of the desktop screen), select “Control Panel”. Locate the “Programs” and then followed by clicking on “Uninstall Program”

Windows XP Users

Click “Start” and then choose “Settings” and then click “Control Panel”. Search and click on “Add or Remove Program’ option

Windows 10 and 8 Users:

Go to the lower left corner of the screen and right-click. In the “Quick Access” menu, choose “Control Panel”. In the newly opened window, choose “Program and Features”

Mac OSX Users

Click on “Finder” option. Choose “Application” in the newly opened screen. In the “Application” folder, drag the app to “Trash”. Right click on the Trash icon and then click on “Empty Trash”.

In the uninstall programs window, search for the PUAs. Choose all the unwanted and suspicious entries and click on “Uninstall” or “Remove”.

After you uninstall all the potentially unwanted program causing WinHound issues, scan your computer with an anti-malware tool for any remaining PUPs and PUAs or possible malware infection. To scan the PC, use the recommended the anti-malware tool.

How to Remove Adware (WinHound) from Internet Browsers

Delete malicious add-ons and extensions from IE

Click on the gear icon at the top right corner of Internet Explorer. Select “Manage Add-ons”. Search for any recently installed plug-ins or add-ons and click on “Remove”.

Additional Option

If you still face issues related to WinHound removal, you can reset the Internet Explorer to its default setting.

Windows XP users: Press on “Start” and click “Run”. In the newly opened window, type “inetcpl.cpl” and click on the “Advanced” tab and then press on “Reset”.

Windows Vista and Windows 7 Users: Press the Windows logo, type inetcpl.cpl in the start search box and press enter. In the newly opened window, click on the “Advanced Tab” followed by “Reset” button.

For Windows 8 Users: Open IE and click on the “gear” icon. Choose “Internet Options”

Select the “Advanced” tab in the newly opened window

Press on “Reset” option

You have to press on the “Reset” button again to confirm that you really want to reset the IE

Remove Doubtful and Harmful Extension from Google Chrome

Go to menu of Google Chrome by pressing on three vertical dots and select on “More tools” and then “Extensions”. You can search for all the recently installed add-ons and remove all of them.

Optional Method

If the problems related to WinHound still persists or you face any issue in removing, then it is advised that your reset the Google Chrome browse settings. Go to three dotted points at the top right corner and choose “Settings”. Scroll down bottom and click on “Advanced”.

At the bottom, notice the “Reset” option and click on it.

In the next opened window, confirm that you want to reset the Google Chrome settings by click on the “Reset” button.

Remove WinHound plugins (including all other doubtful plug-ins) from Firefox Mozilla

Open the Firefox menu and select “Add-ons”. Click “Extensions”. Select all the recently installed browser plug-ins.

Optional Method

If you face problems in WinHound removal then you have the option to rese the settings of Mozilla Firefox.

Open the browser (Mozilla Firefox) and click on the “menu” and then click on “Help”.

Choose “Troubleshooting Information”

In the newly opened pop-up window, click “Refresh Firefox” button

The next step is to confirm that really want to reset the Mozilla Firefox settings to its default by clicking on “Refresh Firefox” button.

Remove Malicious Extension from Safari

Open the Safari and go to its “Menu” and select “Preferences”.

Click on the “Extension” and select all the recently installed “Extensions” and then click on “Uninstall”.

Optional Method

Open the “Safari” and go menu. In the drop-down menu, choose “Clear History and Website Data”.

In the newly opened window, select “All History” and then press on “Clear History” option.

Delete WinHound (malicious add-ons) from Microsoft Edge

Open Microsoft Edge and go to three horizontal dot icons at the top right corner of the browser. Select all the recently installed extensions and right click on the mouse to “uninstall”

Optional Method

Open the browser (Microsoft Edge) and select “Settings”

Next steps is to click on “Choose what to clear” button

Click on “show more” and then select everything and then press on “Clear” button.

Conclusion

In most cases, the PUPs and adware gets inside the marked PC through unsafe freeware downloads. It is advised that you should only choose developers website only while downloading any kind of free applications. Choose custom or advanced installation process so that you can trace the additional PUPs listed for installation along with the main program.