How to remove Predator The Thief malware from infected computers

What is Predator The Thief?

Predator The Thief is high-risk trojan-type infection designed to collect various user-system information. These infections typically infiltrate computers without users' consent. Their presence might lead to serious privacy issues and significant financial loss.

More about Predator The Thief

After system infiltration, Predator The Thief attempts to extract information from various applications and gather files. The list of targeted applications includes a number of web browsers, Steam, Discord, FileZilla, and WinFTP. Note that Predator The Thief first takes a screenshot of the current screen. The main purpose of this infection is to gather account credentials.

It infiltrates Discord/Steam applications and attempts to extract login information. Furthermore, it records cookies, saved logins/passwords, and other information stored on various web browsers. The list of features also includes stealing cryptocurrency wallets. By recording this data, cyber criminals might gain access to victims' accounts.

Many users lack knowledge in cyber security and are likely to use identical emails/logins and passwords for multiple accounts - after gaining access to a single account, cyber criminals are thus able to access others. These people aim to generate as much revenue as possible. Therefore, hijacked accounts can be misused in various ways.

Bank accounts are typically misused through online purchases, money transfers, and so on. Email and social network accounts are used to proliferate malware and steal victims' identities. Criminals distribute malware by sending malicious files to all victims' contacts and encouraging them to open the files. They might also use such accounts to borrow money from victims' contacts.

Therefore, information tracking can lead to serious privacy issues, significant financial loss, and victims might even get into debt. File stealing is another Predator The Thief feature. This malicious app searches for .doc, .docx, .txt and .log files in the Desktop, Downloads, and Documents folders.

Files of this type are saved in the "Files" folder (which is created by Predator The Thief) and later uploaded to a remote Command & Control (C&C) server together with the collected information.

Although Predator The Thief also gathers system information (CPU, GPU, operating system, username, etc.), its main purpose is to record account credentials in order to hijack victims' accounts. Therefore, eliminating this infection is paramount. Note that Predator The Thief's process in Windows Task Manager is disguised.

The sample we analyzed was called "Canonical Legible", a process name that does not seem particularly suspicious or harmful (other trojans of this type usually run processes with names of random characters/digits, or the process has no name).

Therefore, if you see dubious processes (e.g., applications that you have never installed), immediately terminate the process, scan the system with a reputable internet security suite and remove all detected threats.

Examples of similar malware

There are dozens of trojan-type infections that share similarities with Predator The Thief. The list of examples includes PsiXBot, Tinynuke, FormBook, TrickBot, and Adwind. 

Although the infections are developed by different cyber criminals, their behavior is essentially identical - all collect information and pose a significant threat to your privacy and financial safety. You should eliminate these infections immediately.

Predator The Thief malware technical analysis:

• Detection names: Avast (Win32:DangerousSig [Trj]), BitDefender (Trojan.GenericKD.31830202), Kaspersky (Trojan-Spy.Win32.Stealer.lbn), ESET-NOD32 (Win32/Spy.Agent.PQW)
• Full list of antivirus detections: VirusTotal
• Executable filename: 6421790b5ee44f21d25eb82b559ce92c.exe
• Sample first submitted: 2019-03-27 (created 2019-03-25)

How did Predator The Thief infiltrate my computer?

The exact way developers promote Predator The Thief is currently unknown, however, such infections are typically proliferated using spam email campaigns, trojans, fake software updaters/cracks, and third party software download sources.

Spam campaigns are used to proliferate malicious attachments (e.g., PDFs, Microsoft Office documents, archives, executables, etc.) together with deceptive messages encouraging users to open them. Attachments are usually presented as bills, invoices, receipts, and other "important documents", however, this is only a disguise - opening them results in various computer infections.

Some trojans cause so-called "chain infections". They stealthily infiltrate computers and continue to inject systems with additional malware. Fake updaters infect computers by exploiting old software bugs/flaws or simply downloading and installing malware rather than updates. Software cracks also have similar behavior.

Although their purpose is to activate paid software free of charge, criminals often use them to proliferate malware, and thus users commonly end up infecting their computers rather than gaining access to paid features.

Finally, unofficial software download sources are used to present malicious applications as legitimate software, thus tricking users into downloading and installing malware rather than updates. In summary, the main reasons for computer infections are poor knowledge of these threats and careless behavior.

How to avoid installation of malware?

To prevent this situation, be very careful when browsing the internet and downloading, installing, and updating software. The key to computer safety is caution. Think twice before opening email attachments. If the file/link is received from a suspicious/unrecognizable email address or it does not concern you, do not open anything.

Furthermore, download apps from official sources only, using direct download links. Third party downloaders/installers usually include rogue apps, and thus these tools should never be used. The same applies to software updates.

Keeping installed applications and operating systems up-to-date is important, however, this should be achieved through implemented functions or tools provided by the official developer. Bear in mind that software piracy is a cyber crime and the risk of infections is extremely high.

Therefore, never attempt to crack installed applications. Have a reputable anti-virus/anti-spyware suite installed and running, since these tools commonly detect and eliminate malware before the system is harmed. If you believe that your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.

List of web browsers targeted by Predator The Thief:

• Amigo
• BlackHawk
• Chromium
• Comodo Dragon
• Cyberfox
• Epic Privacy Browser
• Google Chrome
• IceCat
• K-Meleon
• Kometa
• Maxthon5
• Mozilla Firefox
• Nichrome
• Opera
• Orbitum
• Pale Moon
• Sputnik
• Torch
• Vivaldi
• Waterfox

The list of cryptocurrency wallets targeted by Predator The Thief:

• Armory
• Bitcoin
• Bytecoin
• Electrum
• Ethereum
• Multibit

Predator The Thief's dashboard used by cyber criminals:

Example of a money transaction-related spam campaign that is used to spread Predator The Thief malware (the attachments are completely identical Microsoft Word documents with different names):

Screenshot of the malicious attachment - MS Word document ("lyft-1926441.doc"):

How to remove malware manually?

Most trojan infections can be removed by running a full system scan with Combo Cleaner. The full manual procedure below is for cases where automatic removal failed, where you want to verify a scan caught everything, or where the threat has multiple persistence points.

Tools you'll need

Combo Cleaner Antivirus 7-days free trial

Recommended primary scanner. VB100 certified. The 7-day free trial is available.

Microsoft Defender Offline Free · built-in

Built into Windows. Boots to a clean environment to catch rootkits.

Process Explorer Free

From Microsoft Sysinternals. Better than Task Manager - shows full paths and signatures.

Autoruns Free

From Microsoft Sysinternals. Lists every place malware can persist on your system.

Microsoft Safety Scanner (MSERT) Free

Official Microsoft on-demand scanner. Always-current signatures - expires every 10 days.

Phase 1~ 5 min

Contain - limit the damage

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1

Disconnect from the network

30 secNo tool needed

Unplug your Ethernet cable and turn off Wi-Fi. If you're on a laptop, the airplane-mode key works fastest.

Why this matters

Many trojans exfiltrate data - saved browser passwords, banking sessions, screenshots - and accept remote commands. Cutting the network stops both immediately. Keep it disconnected until Phase 4.

2

Boot into Safe Mode with Networking

3 min

Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers and stops most malware from auto-running. "With Networking" lets you download tools - re-enable Wi-Fi only after you've booted in.

Windows 11

Open Settings → System → Recovery. Click Restart now next to Advanced startup.

Your computer will restart into the "Choose an option" menu. Click Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart. After the second reboot, press 5 or F5.

Windows 10

Click the Windows logo, hold Shift, click the Power icon and choose Restart. In the Choose an option screen, click Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart. Press F5.

Windows 8

Go to the Start Screen, type Advanced, select Settings → Advanced startup options → Restart now → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup settings → Restart → F5.

Note: Windows 8 reached end-of-life in January 2023 - running on it puts you at much higher risk of reinfection.

Windows 7

Click Start → Shut Down → Restart → OK. As the system boots, press F8 repeatedly until the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, then choose Safe Mode with Networking.

Note: Windows 7 reached end-of-life in January 2020 - running on it puts you at much higher risk of reinfection.

Phase 2~ 15 min

Identify - find what's hiding

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3

Inspect running processes with Process Explorer

Tool: Process Explorer5 min

Download Process Explorer from Microsoft Sysinternals. Run it as Administrator. Click Options → Verify Image Signatures and View → Lower Pane View → DLLs.

Sort by "Verified Signer." Anything unsigned running from %AppData%, %LocalAppData%, %Temp%, or %ProgramData% is suspicious. Right-click → Properties to see the full image path. Right-click → "Search Online" to look up unfamiliar process names.

Why not just Task Manager

Task Manager hides full file paths, doesn't show digital signatures, and groups processes in ways that make malware easy to miss. Process Explorer is the same tool Microsoft engineers use.

4

Map every persistence point with Autoruns

Tool: Autoruns 14.x10 min

Download Autoruns. Right-click Autoruns.exe and choose Run as administrator - without elevation, Autoruns can't inspect protected registry hives.

In the menu, open Options → Hide Microsoft Entries and Options → Hide Empty Locations, then click Refresh.

Modern trojans don't just live in startup. Walk through these tabs and look for unsigned or unfamiliar entries:

• Logon - classic Run/RunOnce keys
• Scheduled Tasks - frequent hiding spot, especially tasks with PowerShell, MSHTA, or rundll32 actions
• Services - unsigned services in non-Microsoft folders
• WMI - Event Subscriptions are a stealthy persistence mechanism (MITRE T1546.003)
• Image Hijacks - Image File Execution Options "Debugger" abuse
• AppInit - DLLs loaded into every GUI process
• Browser plug-ins - unsigned add-ons across all installed browsers

Pro tip

Right-click any suspicious entry → "Jump to Image" to see the actual file. Right-click → "Search Online" opens VirusTotal for the file hash. Don't delete yet - just write down the file paths and entry names. We'll remove them after the scans.

5

Check the hosts file and DNS settings

3 minBuilt into Windows

Trojans often redirect bank, antivirus, and update domains to attacker-controlled servers by editing the hosts file or DNS settings.

Hosts file: Open Notepad as Administrator and open C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. Legitimate entries are commented with #. Any uncommented IP-to-domain mapping is suspicious - especially redirects for microsoft.com, windowsupdate, or your bank.

DNS settings: Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run ipconfig /all. Confirm your DNS servers point to your ISP, your router, or a known public resolver (Cloudflare 1.1.1.1, Google 8.8.8.8). Then open Settings → Network & internet → [your adapter] → DNS server assignment and verify both DNS and DNS over HTTPS (DoH) settings haven't been hijacked.

Why this matters

A clean PC with hijacked DNS is still a compromised PC. You'll think you're at chase.com and you'll be at the attacker's clone.

Phase 3~ 60-90 min

Remove - three scans, one cleanup

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No single antivirus catches everything. The order below is intentional: offline scan first (catches rootkits before Windows fully loads), then on-demand scanners on the running system, then manual cleanup of anything they missed.

6

Run Microsoft Defender Offline

Tool: Built into Windows15 min

Reboot to normal Windows. Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Scan options. Select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now. Your computer will restart into a stripped-down environment and scan before the full operating system loads.

Why this comes first

Rootkits and bootkits hide from any scanner running on the same Windows session that's already infected. A pre-boot offline scan sees the disk before the malware can hide itself.

Recommended antivirus

Combo Cleaner

VB100 certified. Includes anti-trojan, registry/persistence scanning, anti-spyware in one pass. The 7-day free trial is available.

Download Combo Cleaner

7

Run Combo Cleaner full system scan

Tool: Combo Cleaner20-40 min

Install Combo Cleaner and run a full system scan (not the quick scan). Let it complete fully, review the detected threats, and apply the recommended actions. Combo Cleaner will quarantine known trojans and registry persistence.

8

Run Microsoft Safety Scanner as a second-opinion scan

Tool: Microsoft Safety Scanner15 min

Download Microsoft Safety Scanner (MSERT.exe), Microsoft's free on-demand tool. The binary expires every 10 days, which means every download has the latest signatures. Run a full scan after Combo Cleaner to catch anything one engine alone might miss.

Why a second scan

Different scanning engines catch different threats. Running an additional Microsoft scan after Combo Cleaner is the single most underused verification step in malware removal.

9

Manually remove anything still listed in Autoruns

Tool: Autoruns10 min

Reopen Autoruns. Anything you flagged in Step 4 that's still present hasn't been caught by the automated scans. For each remaining suspicious entry: right-click → Delete in Autoruns (this removes the persistence registration), then navigate to the file path and delete the actual file. Empty the Recycle Bin.

Important

Some malware files reappear after deletion because something else on the system recreates them. If you delete a file and it returns within minutes, you have a remaining persistence point that Autoruns didn't show - usually a service or scheduled task running under SYSTEM. Re-run the scans from Steps 6-8 or proceed to a clean install (see end of guide).

Phase 4~ 15 min

Recover - restore browsers and security

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10

Reset browsers and clear notification permissions

5 min

Trojans and adware frequently hijack browsers - change the default search engine, install rogue extensions, or grant themselves notification permissions to keep displaying scam pop-ups even after the malware is gone.

• Chrome: visit chrome://settings/reset and click "Restore settings to their original defaults." Then visit chrome://settings/content/notifications and remove any unfamiliar sites.
• Edge: visit edge://settings/reset. Then check edge://settings/content/notifications.
• Firefox: open about:support and click Refresh Firefox (Firefox uses "Refresh," not "Reset"). Then check Settings → Privacy & Security → Permissions → Notifications.

Review installed extensions in each browser and remove anything you don't recognize, especially extensions you didn't install yourself.

11

Re-enable Defender, Tamper Protection, and update everything

10 min

Many trojans disable security software. Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage settings and confirm Real-time protection, Cloud-delivered protection, and Tamper Protection are all turned on. Tamper Protection prevents malware from disabling Defender silently.

Then run Windows Update (Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates) and update your browsers and applications. The infection vector that let the trojan in originally usually involves outdated software.

Phase 5~ 15 min + 7 days

Verify & secure

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12

Change passwords from a clean device

20 min⚠ Critical

If the trojan was an info-stealer (Lumma, RedLine, Vidar, and similar are extremely common), assume every password saved in your browser is compromised. Change them from a different, known-clean device - your phone is fine if it's not infected.

Recommended order:

1. Primary email first - it's the recovery hub for everything else
2. Banking and financial accounts
3. Password manager master password (if you use one)
4. Social media, shopping, and remaining accounts

Where available, enable phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (passkeys / FIDO2 hardware keys / authenticator apps) - SMS-based MFA is bypassable by sophisticated attackers.

13

Verify the clean and monitor for 7 days

5 min + 1 week monitoring

Reconnect to the network and run one final full scan with Combo Cleaner. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and switch to the Startup apps tab - confirm nothing suspicious has reappeared.

Over the next 7 days, watch for symptom recurrence: unexpected high CPU usage, unknown processes returning, browser redirects, or pop-ups. If anything returns, you missed a persistence point and the procedure needs to be repeated - or you may have a deeper compromise that requires a clean install.

When to clean install Windows instead

Manual removal isn't always the right answer. Reinstalling Windows from scratch is the only way to be 100% certain when:

• The malware reappears after every removal attempt
• A bootkit or UEFI rootkit was detected (this class of threat sits below the operating system and survives a normal Windows reinstall)
• A confirmed credential-theft trojan ran with administrator privileges (Lumma, RedLine, Vidar) - the system likely has multiple unknown payloads
• The PC is used for online banking, business email, or anything where partial doubt isn't acceptable

A clean install is a 30-60 minute process: Windows 11 reinstall via Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC → Remove everything → Cloud download. Back up documents to external storage first, scan the backup with Combo Cleaner before restoring it, and reinstall applications fresh - never restore them from a backup of the infected system.

Important: Manual removal requires advanced computer skills. If you're not confident identifying system files from malicious files, run an automated scan with Combo Cleaner and Windows Defender and stop there - that path catches the vast majority of consumer trojans without the risk of breaking Windows by deleting the wrong file.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

My computer is infected with Predator The Thief malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?

If your computer is infected with Predator The Thief malware, formatting your storage device is a thorough way to remove the malware, but it should be considered a last resort. Before taking this step, it is recommended to scan a computer using a reputable security tool like Combo Cleaner.

What are the biggest issues that malware can cause?

Malware can cause significant issues such as data theft, leading to financial loss and identity fraud, and system damage, resulting in data corruption and loss of functionality. Additionally, malware can create backdoors for further attacks and compromise sensitive information.

What is the purpose of Predator The Thief malware?

After infiltrating a system, Predator The Thief malware attempts to extract information from various applications, including web browsers, Steam, Discord, and FTP clients, to gather account credentials. It records cookies, saved logins/passwords, steals cryptocurrency wallets, and uploads stolen files to a remote server. More details are provided in our article.

How did Predator The Thief infiltrate my computer?

Typically, malware is distributed using pirated software, cracking tools, key generators, emails containing malicious files or links, malicious advertisements, P2P networks, software vulnerabilities, unofficial or compromised websites, and similar channels.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner is capable of detecting and eliminating almost all known malware infections. However, high-end malware often hides deep within the system, so running a full system scan is essential.