Removal instructions for the Lumma stealer-type malware

What kind of malware is Lumma?

Lumma is a piece of malicious software categorized as a stealer. Malware within this category is designed to steal sensitive data. These programs are capable of exfiltrating data from infected systems and the applications installed onto them. The threats posed by stealers can be extensive and depend on the program's capabilities, the information available on victims' devices, and the cyber criminals' aims.

Lumma malware overview

Lumma's behavior is similar to that of the Mars, Arkei, and Vidar stealers. Stealer-type malware can exfiltrate both device/system and personal data. The latter entails downloading various files (e.g., databases, images, documents, videos, etc.) from the compromised system.

These malicious programs are typically able to extract information from browsers, which could include: browsing and search engine data, autofills, usernames/passwords, personally identifiable details, credit card numbers, and so forth.

Stealers often target various accounts like emails, social media, social networking, messengers, gaming-related software, online banking, e-commerce, cryptocurrency wallets, FTPs, password managers, authentication software, VPNs, and many others.

Depending on the sensitivity of the stolen data, cyber criminals could potentially use it for blackmail purposes (demand ransoms under threat of publication).

The criminals can abuse communication/social platforms to steal the victim's identity and ask their contacts/friends for loans or to spread malware (by sharing malicious files/links). Finance-related accounts may be used to make fraudulent transactions or online purchases.

In summary, the presence of stealers like Lumma on devices can result in severe privacy issues, significant financial losses, and identity theft. If you suspect that your system is infected with Lumma (or other malware), we highly recommend using an anti-virus to remove it without delay.

Stealer-type malware examples

We have analyzed thousands of malware samples; Erbium, Nitro Stealer, Luca, and NoMercy are merely a few of our newest finds within the stealer category.

Malicious software can have varied abilities in different combinations. However, regardless of how malware operates, its presence on a system endangers device integrity and user safety. Therefore, all threats must be eliminated immediately upon detection.

How did Lumma infiltrate my computer?

Malware is proliferated using phishing and social engineering techniques. Malicious software is typically presented as or bundled with ordinary software/media.

Virulent files can be Microsoft Office and PDF documents, archives (RAR, ZIP, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), JavaScript, and so forth. When a malicious is executed, run, or otherwise opened - the infection chain is initiated.

The most common distribution methods include: drive-by (stealthy/deceptive) downloads, online scams, spam emails and messages, dubious download channels (e.g., unofficial and freeware websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc.), illegal program activation ("cracking") tools, and fake updates.

How to avoid installation of malware?

We strongly recommend always using official and verified download sources. Furthermore, all programs must be activated and updated using functions/tools provided by genuine developers, as illegal activation tools ("cracks") and fake updaters may contain malware.

We advise against opening the attachments and links present in suspicious/irrelevant emails and messages since that can lead to a system infection.

It is essential to have a reputable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. This software must be used to run regular system scans and to remove detected threats and issues. 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.

Screenshot of Lumma stealer's admin panel log-in:

Screenshot of a fake VLC Player download website (videolan-web[.]org) used to spread Lumma stealer:

Update March 1, 2023 – new Lumma stealer proliferation method has been discovered. Cyber criminals behind this malware have used spam emails to target YouTubers.

In February of this year, a phishing email was sent to a South Korean voice actor YouTuber. The email was disguised as a business-related missive from Bandai Namco – a Japanese production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate. The fake letter concerned a partnership/sponsorship with the YouTuber, who would be promoting a new video game based on the bestselling manga/anime One Piece.

Through the phishing email, the cyber criminals were successful in infecting the victim's system and stealing their YouTube account. Fortunately, the account was later recovered by its rightful owner.

To elaborate on the infection chain, the spam letter contained a Dropbox link via which an archive file (titled "One Piece Odyssey Youtube Deal.zip") and a video file (serving as bait) were downloaded. The former was disguised as a PDF document and – upon its contents' execution – downloaded a malicious program. The malware then infiltrated Pure Crypter into the system, and this loader injected Lumma stealer into the device.

Screenshot of the spam email used to spread Lumma stealer:

Text presented in this email letter:

Subject: Bandai Namco YT Offer 2023

Good morning, our esteemed partner! Bandai Namco Entertainment is happy to welcome you. If you'e made it to this point, it means you're doing great work, and we're sure we can be useful to each other!

Below you'll find the keys to the materials in question in our response letter. The materials contain more detailed terms of cooperation.

A little bit about our game that you will be promoting.
A new RPG from the hugely popular manga and anime series ONE PIECE, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the series!
The famed pirate, Monkey.D.Luffy, better known as Straw Hat Luffy, and his Straw Hat Crew, are sailing across the New World in search of the next island and the adventure that awaits them.
But during their voyage they are caught in a storm and shipwrecked. They find themselves washed up on a lush tropical island surrounded by constantly raging storms...

Link to the game on Steam:
-

To read the PDF cooperation agreement, as well as the game trailer,
please follow this link:

DROPBOX:-

Update May 3, 2023 - cyber criminals have recently started a new campaign to spread Lumma stealer. They use YouTube videos containing a download link for either software cracks or already activated software.

Examples of YouTube videos used to spread Lumma stealer:

Screenshot of a fake Mozilla Firefox update website spreading Lumma stealer:

Update November 30, 2023 - it has been uncovered that threat actors are utilizing Discord, a widely used chat platform for online gamers and content creators, to distribute the Lumma stealer. The malicious actors leverage Discord's content delivery network (CDN) and application programming interface (API) to host Lumma, create controlling bots, and communicate with the malware remotely.

These bots, in turn, transmit stolen data to private Discord servers or channels. The operators employ deceptive tactics, such as using random Discord accounts or compromised ones, to trick victims into downloading the malware through offers like Discord Nitro boosts.

Notably, the malware has evolved to load other files, possibly leading to additional infections, and its operators claim the ability to detect and filter out useless infections using artificial intelligence.

Screenshot of a fake Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 download website (alphagta6[.]com) spreading Lumma stealer:

Screenshot of a Twitter (X) post promoting this site:

Fake Bitdefender download website (bitdefender-app[.]com) spreading Lumma stealer:

Update August 30, 2024 – yet another distribution method has been discovered in use to spread the Lumma stealer. The malware is proliferated via malicious links dropped in comments on public GitHub repositories. The malware was delivered in password-protected archive files hosted on MediaFire. One noteworthy aspect of the comments is how poorly they are written. However, it must be stressed that cyber criminals could utilize spam comments with better English and other file formats or file-hosting services.

Update September 5, 2024 – threat actors have been observed targeting OnlyFans hackers with a fake hacking tool, which instead installs the Lummac stealer malware. The hackers, seeking to exploit OnlyFans accounts, fall victim themselves as Lummac infects their systems. The campaign also targets users interested in hacking Disney+, Instagram, and other platforms.

Update September 19, 2024 - Cyber criminals are distributing Lumma stealer using the Verify You Are A Human (CAPTCHA) scam technique. User receive an email regarding Github's vulnerability issues which contains a link to a malicious site (github-scanner[.]com) functioning as the Verify You Are A Human (CAPTCHA) scam.

Example of an email:

Text presented within:

Subject: IMPORTANT! Security Vulnerability Detected in your Repository (Issue #1)

 

Hey there!

We have detected a security vulnerability in your repository. Please contact us at hxxps://github-scanner[.]com to get more information on how to fix this issue.

Best regards,
Github Security Team

__
Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.

Appearance of the website github-scanner[.]com website spreading Lumma stealer:

Example of a cracked software distribution website spreading Lumma stealer:

Update November 18, 2024 - Threat actors have created fake websites impersonating the AI editor EditPro to distribute malware. These sites are promoted through ads and fake deepfake videos on X (Twitter). Clicking "Get Now" downloads malware disguised as the EditProAI app, targeting Windows and macOS users. The Windows malware even uses a stolen code signing certificate to appear legitimate.

Update December 17, 2024 - Threat actors were observed spreading the stealer through fake CAPTCHA verification pages that trick users into running malicious PowerShell commands. The campaign uses the Monetag ad network, primarily targeting sites offering pirated software and illegal streaming services.

This attack is a more dangerous variant of ClickFix tactics, where victims are tricked into executing harmful commands. The attack begins with a pop-up ad leading to a fake CAPTCHA page, which then silently copies a malicious PowerShell command to the victim's clipboard.

The page instructs users to paste and run the command in the Windows Run dialog, triggering the download and execution of Lumma Stealer on their devices.

Update January 24, 2025 - Cyber criminals have been recently spreading Lumma stealer through hundreds of fake Reddit and WeTransfer websites. The fake Reddit pages contain fake discussion threads with replies providing a download links for various tools. The provided links lead to fake WeTransfer websites containing Lumma stealer.

Screenshot of a fake Reddit website (source: Bleeping Computer):

Screenshot of a fake WeTransfer website (source: Bleeping Computer):

Update January 28, 2025 – Lumma stealer was observed being proliferated through a ClickFix scam using a CAPTCHA verification lure.

Screenshot of a ClickFix scam spreading the Lumma stealer:

Screenshot of a fake CCleaner download website spreading Lumma stealer:

Update May 22, 2025 – significant disruptions have been caused to the Lumma stealer's MaaS (Malware-as-a-Service) infrastructure. This operation was carried out by multiple law enforcement authorities and tech companies.

Lumma sale spots were disrupted by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). The infrastructure in Europe and Japan was handled by the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) and Japan's Cybercrime Control Center (JC3), respectively. The Microsoft Corporation seized over 2,300 domains used in Lumma's online infrastructure. The joint effort also involved the Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe law firm; GMO Internet Group, Inc.; ESET, s.r.o.; BitSight Technologies, Inc.; and other entities.

The outcome of this MaaS disruption will cause the threat actors behind Lumma major operational disturbances and expenditures. The stealer's operators will be unable to access their control panel, exfiltrated data, and the Internet infrastructure for managing the stolen information.

Update July 25, 2025 – Lumma Stealer was disrupted in May 2025 through a coordinated takedown by law enforcement and cybersecurity firms. However, the malware has since resurfaced with enhanced techniques to evade detection. Previously, its operators used Cloudflare to conceal their malicious domains and avoid being tracked.

Now, they have shifted to various other providers, especially Russian cloud and data center services like Selectel. One of the most common and effective ways Lumma Stealer spreads is through fake tools such as cracks and key generators (keygens). It also continues to be distributed via ClickFix, social media platforms, and GitHub campaigns.

Update December 18, 2025 – Lumma Stealer, which usage slowed down after its operators were exposed, has become active again since late October. The malware now utilizes browser fingerprinting to collect system, browser, and hardware information, enabling attackers to plan their attack steps and evade detection.

Update February 16, 2026 - Bitdefender researchers reported a significant surge in Lumma stealer infections between December 2025 and January 2026, linked to CastleLoader campaigns. CastleLoader is being used as a delivery mechanism that installs Lumma stealer on victims' computers through trojanized software, pirated software from fake sites and torrents, and fake media and game archives. (source: bleepingcomputer.com).

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 Lumma malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?

Lumma's removal does not require such drastic measures.

What are the biggest issues that Lumma malware can cause?

The dangers a malicious program poses depend on its functionalities and the cyber criminals' modus operandi. Lumma is classified as a stealer - a type of malware that extracts sensitive information from infected devices. Therefore, the primary threats of Lumma infections include severe privacy issues, significant financial losses, and identity theft.

What is the purpose of Lumma malware?

In most cases, malware is employed to generate revenue. However, cyber criminals can also use malicious software to amuse themselves, carry out personal vendettas, disrupt processes (e.g., websites, services, companies, organizations, etc.), or even launch politically/geopolitically motivated attacks.

How did Lumma malware infiltrate my computer?

Malware is most commonly spread through drive-by downloads, spam emails and messages, online scams, untrustworthy download sources (e.g., freeware and third-party websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc.), illegal program activation tools ("cracks"), and fake updates. Some malicious programs can self-proliferate via local networks and removable storage devices (e.g., USB flash drives, external hard drives, etc.).

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?

Yes, Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and remove threats. It is capable of detecting and eliminating nearly all known malware infections. However, it must be stressed that performing a complete system scan is crucial - since sophisticated malicious programs tend to hide deep within systems.