How to remove NodeStealer malware

What kind of malware is NodeStealer?

NodeStealer is a type of malware written in JavaScript and executed through Node.js. It is used by threat actors to steal browser cookies and login credentials, enabling them to hijack Gmail, Facebook, Outlook, and possibly other accounts. The malware was initially discovered in late January of 2023.

More about NodeStealer

Upon execution, the malware ensures its continuous operation even after the victim restarts their machine by establishing persistence. In order to achieve this, the malware leverages the auto-launch module on Node.js.

The primary objective of NodeStealer malware is to obtain stored passwords and session information from Chromium-based browsers installed on the victim's machine. The malware is designed to target several browsers, including Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Brave.

If NodeStealer malware detects cookies or credentials related to Facebook accounts, it utilizes the Facebook API to extract information about the compromised account (to gather information related to advertising accounts). This information is then used by threat actors to run unauthorized ads using the victim's advertising accounts.

Once the NodeStealer malware successfully acquires the stored browser information and completes the Facebook account surveillance, it proceeds to extract all the stolen data to a command-and-control (C2) server operated by the attacker.

Possible damage

Victims of NodeStealer can experience various problems, including unauthorized access to their Facebook, Gmail, and Outlook accounts, hijacked advertising accounts, and the theft of their stored browser information. These can lead to financial losses, identity theft, and damage to personal and professional reputations.

How did NodeStealer infiltrate my computer?

Cybercriminals can distribute NodeStealer malware through various tactics, such as phishing emails, social engineering techniques, malvertising, or by bundling it with legitimate software. One known tactic is to disguise NodeStealer as a harmless document, such as a PDF or XLSX file, with an appropriate corresponding icon and filename that can trick users into opening it.

Threat actors may also use social engineering techniques to persuade users to click links or download attachments that contain the malware. Additionally, they may create fake websites or social media profiles that offer fake software updates or free downloads, which, when clicked, lead to the download and installation of the NodeStealer malware.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Be cautious when dealing with email attachments or links received from unfamiliar or suspicious email addresses, especially if the email is unexpected or irrelevant. Keep your operating system, software, and plugins up-to-date. Use antivirus software and make sure it is always updated.

Avoid downloading applications from untrustworthy sources such as Peer-to-Peer networks, suspicious websites, or third-party downloaders. Download software from official websites and app stores. Do not trust ads, pop-ups, or links on questionable 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.

Update 3 August 2023 -  Recently, a new campaign has surfaced, distributing two Python-written NodeStealer variants with additional functionalities. Cybercriminals have enhanced these variants with the ability to steal cryptocurrency, act as downloaders, and perform other malicious activities besides stealing Facebook accounts.

The NodeStealer variant, designed to download more malware, is set up to fetch two .zip files. Once these files are downloaded and extracted, NodeStealer establishes persistence for BitRAT, hVNC RAT, and XWorm.

This variant is also capable of stealing MetaMask credentials from Chrome, Cốc Cốc, and Brave browsers. MetaMask is an extension that helps users access Ethereum Wallets through their browsers. By stealing these credentials, the attackers can take cryptocurrency from hijacked wallets without permission.

Another variant also focuses on attacking Facebook business accounts and MetaMask wallets. However, this version has additional abilities, including stealing emails and using anti-analysis measures. It possesses the capability to analyze and read the victim's emails. This function may have been added to interfere with Facebook notifications that could alert the victim about the modifications made by the NodeStealer.

Also, the malware's creator included a basic function to look for specific malware analysis tools and virtual machine processes on the victim's system. If any of these tools are found running, the malware automatically shuts itself down to avoid being detected and analyzed.

Update January 9, 2025 – an updated variant of NodeStealer has been discovered being distributed through phishing campaigns. Sophisticated techniques have been introduced into the program, including DLL side-loading. This version was found in a campaign targeting Malaysia's education sector.

The infection originated from spam emails written in Bahasa Melayu. One of the letter themes was a copyright infringement notice that lured recipients into following a link to download a PDF document.

However, the malicious file installed NodeStealer instead. Part of the chain was a seemingly legitimate PDF reader, which was exploited to load the malware onto the system (DLL side-loading). There is evidence linking this campaign to a Vietnamese threat actor.

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

Formatting your storage device may remove the NodeStealer malware but also delete all your data. Instead of formatting, you can try to use an anti-malware program to remove the NodeStealer malware.

What are the biggest issues that malware can cause?

The impact of malware can vary depending on its type and capabilities. It may result in identity theft, financial losses, reduced computer performance,  increased susceptibility to additional infections, and other issues.

What is the purpose of NodeStealer malware?

The purpose of NodeStealer malware is to steal stored password and cookie session information from Chromium-based browsers on the target's computer, including Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and Brave browsers. The stolen information is then used by threat actors to hijack social media, email, and advertising accounts and run unauthorized ads.

How did NodeStealer malware infiltrate my computer?

NodeStealer malware can be distributed through various tactics by cybercriminals, including phishing emails, social engineering techniques, malvertising, or bundling it with legitimate software. One common tactic is to disguise the malware as a harmless document, such as a PDF or XLSX file, with an appropriate icon and filename that can deceive users into opening it.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?

Combo Cleaner has the ability to detect and remove almost all known malware infections. However, it is important to note that some high-end malware may hide deep in the system, making it difficult to detect and remove. It is recommended to run a full system scan to ensure thorough detection and removal of any malicious software.