How to remove BATLOADER malware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of malware is BATLOADER?
BATLOADER is part of the infection chain where it is used to perform the initial compromise. This malware is used to execute payloads like Ursnif. Our team has discovered BATLOADER after executing installers for legitimate software (such as Zoom, TeamViewer Visual Studio) bundled with this malware. We have found those installers on compromised websites.
BATLOADER malware in detail
The purpose of BATLOADER is to download and execute the next stage payloads. Those payloads include Ursnif, BEACON (Cobalt Strike’s default malware payload), Atera (Remote Monitoring & Management software).
After analyzing the infection chain, we learned that BATLOADER is used as a stepping stone to execute malicious and non-malicious software. Cybercriminals use it to drop payloads allowing them to log keystrokes, collect saved logins/passwords, web browsing activity, system information, and perform other actions.
| Name | BATLOADER virus |
| Threat Type | Trojan, password-stealing virus, banking malware, spyware. |
| Detection Names | Avast (Win64:Malware-gen), Combo Cleaner (Trojan.GenericKD.37601996), ESET-NOD32 (BAT/TrojanDownloader.Agent.OIR), Kaspersky (Trojan.BAT.Agent.bmd), Microsoft (Trojan:Win32/ZLoader.DA!MTB), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Payload | Ursnif, Cobalt Strike, Atera |
| Symptoms | Trojans are designed to stealthily infiltrate the victim's computer and remain silent, and thus no particular symptoms are clearly visible on an infected machine. |
| Distribution methods | Infected email attachments, malicious online advertisements, social engineering, software 'cracks'. |
| Damage | Stolen passwords and banking information, identity theft, the victim's computer added to a botnet. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
More about BATLOADER
The BATLOADER malware starts a multi-stage infection chain using commonly abused Windows binaries to download and execute further payloads. We found that most of the final payloads are used to establish remote access and persistence.
How did BATLOADER infiltrate my computer?
Threat actors use an SEO poisoning technique to trick users into downloading installers (for TeamViewer, Zoom, Visual Studio, and possibly other software) bundled with BATLOADER. Those installers are distributed using compromised websites that appear in search results after entering certain keywords. Those keywords include “free productivity apps installation” or “free software development tools installation”.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Do not use installers for cracked software or cracking tools to bypass software activation. Update and activate the software with tools provided by the official developers. Download software from official pages and direct links. Avoid using sources such as unofficial pages, third-party downloaders, P2P networks as sources for downloading files/programs.
Do not open links or attachments received from unknown email addresses (especially when received emails are irrelevant). Do not click on ads and fake buttons while visiting shady websites. 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.
Website used to promote the download page for BATLOADER:
Website used to distribute BATLOADER:
Update June 23, 2023 – new BATLOADER campaigns have been observed. The malware is used to infect devices with a variant of Mallox ransomware (".malox"). This is the first instance that BATLOADER proliferates ransomware. The infection begins with a malicious attachment sent in a phishing email. The attached file can either be BATLOADER's executable or one that downloads this malware.
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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Quick menu:
- What is BATLOADER?
- STEP 1. Manual removal of BATLOADER malware.
- STEP 2. Check if your computer is clean.
How to remove malware manually?
Manual malware removal is a complicated task - usually it is best to allow antivirus or anti-malware programs to do this automatically. To remove this malware we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
If you wish to remove malware manually, the first step is to identify the name of the malware that you are trying to remove. Here is an example of a suspicious program running on a user's computer:
If you checked the list of programs running on your computer, for example, using task manager, and identified a program that looks suspicious, you should continue with these steps:
Download a program called Autoruns. This program shows auto-start applications, Registry, and file system locations:
Restart your computer into Safe Mode:
Windows XP and Windows 7 users: Start your computer in Safe Mode. Click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart, click OK. During your computer start process, press the F8 key on your keyboard multiple times until you see the Windows Advanced Option menu, and then select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Video showing how to start Windows 7 in "Safe Mode with Networking":
Windows 8 users: Start Windows 8 is Safe Mode with Networking - Go to Windows 8 Start Screen, type Advanced, in the search results select Settings. Click Advanced startup options, in the opened "General PC Settings" window, select Advanced startup.
Click the "Restart now" button. Your computer will now restart into the "Advanced Startup options menu". Click the "Troubleshoot" button, and then click the "Advanced options" button. In the advanced option screen, click "Startup settings".
Click the "Restart" button. Your PC will restart into the Startup Settings screen. Press F5 to boot in Safe Mode with Networking.
Video showing how to start Windows 8 in "Safe Mode with Networking":
Windows 10 users: Click the Windows logo and select the Power icon. In the opened menu click "Restart" while holding "Shift" button on your keyboard. In the "choose an option" window click on the "Troubleshoot", next select "Advanced options".
In the advanced options menu select "Startup Settings" and click on the "Restart" button. In the following window you should click the "F5" button on your keyboard. This will restart your operating system in safe mode with networking.
Video showing how to start Windows 10 in "Safe Mode with Networking":
Extract the downloaded archive and run the Autoruns.exe file.
In the Autoruns application, click "Options" at the top and uncheck "Hide Empty Locations" and "Hide Windows Entries" options. After this procedure, click the "Refresh" icon.
Check the list provided by the Autoruns application and locate the malware file that you want to eliminate.
You should write down its full path and name. Note that some malware hides process names under legitimate Windows process names. At this stage, it is very important to avoid removing system files. After you locate the suspicious program you wish to remove, right click your mouse over its name and choose "Delete".
After removing the malware through the Autoruns application (this ensures that the malware will not run automatically on the next system startup), you should search for the malware name on your computer. Be sure to enable hidden files and folders before proceeding. If you find the filename of the malware, be sure to remove it.
Reboot your computer in normal mode. Following these steps should remove any malware from your computer. Note that manual threat removal requires advanced computer skills. If you do not have these skills, leave malware removal to antivirus and anti-malware programs.
These steps might not work with advanced malware infections. As always it is best to prevent infection than try to remove malware later. To keep your computer safe, install the latest operating system updates and use antivirus software. To be sure your computer is free of malware infections, we recommend scanning it with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
My computer is infected with BATLOADER malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?
No, it is not necessary to format the storage device to eliminate BATLOADER. This malware can be removed without formatting.
What are the biggest issues that malware can cause?
After analyzing plenty of malicious programs, we learned that the most common problems are identity theft, financial losses, data encryption, loss of access to online accounts, decreased computer performance, further infections.
What is the purpose of BATLOADER malware?
The purpose of BATLOADER is to start the infection chain - to download and execute a remote administration tool called Atera, malware like Ursnif, Cobalt Strike, and possibly other pieces of malware.
How did BATLOADER malware infiltrate my computer?
We have found that BATLOADER is distributed using malicious installers for Zoom, TeamViewer Visual Studio, and possibly other software. The infected installers are distributed using compromised websites. Compromised websites are promoted using a search engine poisoning technique (links to those pages appear in search results after entering certain keywords).
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and remove almost all known malware. High-end malware can hide deep in the operating system. For the antivirus software to detect high-end malware, it is necessary to scan the operating system using a full scan.
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