How to remove BambooToken malware from the operating system

What kind of malware is BambooToken?

BambooToken is a backdoor-type malware that gives attackers covert, remote access to infected Windows and Linux systems. It was uncovered by Black Lotus Labs, the threat research division at Lumen, and has likely been active since at least February 2023.

The malware is used in targeted attacks, mostly against organizations and servers in Asia and, to a lesser extent, South America. What makes it unusual is the way it talks to its operators - instead of standard web traffic, it relies on MQTT, a messaging protocol normally used by smart devices and other Internet of Things hardware.

BambooToken overview

On Windows, BambooToken is loaded through a legitimate program called OnKey, made by Tendyron. OnKey works with USB security tokens used to confirm a person's identity, and it is popular in Chinese banking and government networks. The attackers place a malicious file named OnKeyToken_KEB.dll next to the genuine OnKey program, which then loads it without question.

This trick is known as DLL side-loading. Because the program doing the loading is legitimate and properly signed, the infection is harder to spot. Lumen notes that Tendyron's code-signing certificate does not appear to have been compromised - the attackers simply abuse a file that is vulnerable to this technique. One variant also posed as software from Zhuhai Kingsoft Office, a Chinese office suite developer.

Earlier versions of BambooToken (2023) communicated with the attacker's server over ordinary web traffic. Versions from 2024 and 2025 switched to MQTT. With this setup, the infected computer never talks to the attacker's real server directly - messages pass through a middleman "broker", which hides the rest of the attacker's infrastructure and makes the traffic harder to trace.

BambooToken's capabilities

Once running, BambooToken collects information about the infected system and sends it to the attacker. This includes details about the operating system, processor, memory, MAC address, public IP address, serial number, and even the original Windows product key, gathered through Windows Management Instrumentation.

After that, the malware waits for commands. Attackers can open a command shell on the device, which essentially lets them run whatever they want. They can also download files from the victim, upload new files onto the system, and delete files. The malware regularly checks in with its operators so they know which machines are online.

BambooToken is built to be extended with plugins. So far, only one plugin has been identified - it checks every five seconds which antivirus products are running on the computer and reports this to the attackers. Researchers believe it was likely deployed first to help the operators avoid exposing their other tools to security software.

Planned features and Linux version

Leftover code in one sample hints at features the developers may add later. These include a keylogger (to record keystrokes), clipboard access, audio recording, and capturing images from the webcam and screen. These functions were not active in the analyzed samples, but they show the direction the project may take.

A Linux version of BambooToken was first observed in December 2025. It offers the same core features as the Windows version (command shell, file operations, and system information collection) and appeared to still be under development at the time.

It is worth noting that the developers took care to cover their tracks. Samples contain fake build details suggesting they were compiled on very old software, and some values were deliberately varied so that the files would not share an easy-to-detect fingerprint.

Conclusion

BambooToken lets attackers quietly control infected machines, run commands, move files in and out, and keep track of the security software in place. Since victims include software developers and servers behind mobile apps, a single infection can also put the customers and users of those organizations at risk. If BambooToken is found on a system, it should be removed immediately. More examples of backdoors are SparroWocky, Mistic, and Beagle.

How did BambooToken infiltrate my computer?

BambooToken is not spread through mass spam campaigns. It is used in targeted attacks, and on Windows it is launched by side-loading the malicious OnKeyToken_KEB.dll file into Tendyron's OnKey program. Researchers suspect the attackers chose OnKey because it is likely to already be present in the networks they target. Earlier samples started with a file named update.log, which loaded the malware directly into memory.

Lumen's telemetry showed around a dozen compromised organizations, including mobile app backend servers, a GitLab server in Hong Kong, a smartwatch-related software company in Vietnam, a hotel, a legal firm, a financial organization, and a cryptocurrency website. Researchers also observed routers in Singapore, Cambodia, and Vietnam communicating with the attackers' servers, following internet-wide scanning that likely aimed to exploit router management services.

In general, attackers behind this kind of malware gain initial access by exploiting vulnerabilities in exposed servers and network devices, using stolen credentials, or sending phishing emails to employees. Once inside, they plant the malware next to trusted software so it blends in with normal activity.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Keep your operating system, applications, and network devices (especially routers) up to date, and change default passwords on any device exposed to the internet. Be careful with unexpected emails, attachments, and links, even when they appear to come from colleagues or known companies. Download software only from official websites and trusted app stores.

Use a reputable security tool and scan your system regularly. Organizations should also watch for unusual network traffic, such as unexpected MQTT connections from workstations and servers. 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 October 29, 2026 - A report from Lumen's Black Lotus Labs, covered by BleepingComputer, adds two notable details to the known targeting picture. Researchers suggest that some BambooToken activity may have specifically targeted overseas Chinese users who access mainland services through the SpeedCN VPN service - though this remains a hypothesis. The attackers also compromised a GitLab server in Hong Kong, which researchers warn could serve as a stepping stone for supply-chain attacks against software that organization distributes or maintains. (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 BambooToken malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?

Formatting will get rid of BambooToken, but it also erases every file on the drive. It is better to first run a scan with a reputable security tool such as Combo Cleaner. In business environments, the incident should also be reported to the IT or security team, since other systems on the network may be affected.

What are the biggest issues that BambooToken malware can cause?

BambooToken gives attackers remote access to the infected device, allowing them to run commands, steal files, and plant additional malware. On servers and development systems, this can lead to data breaches and attacks on the organization's customers and users.

What is the purpose of BambooToken malware?

The purpose of BambooToken is to keep a hidden channel open to infected machines so attackers can collect information, move files, and run commands whenever they want. Its plugin system allows operators to add new features, possibly including keylogging and webcam or screen capture.

How did BambooToken malware infiltrate my computer?

On Windows, BambooToken is loaded by side-loading a malicious DLL file into Tendyron's legitimate OnKey program. It is used in targeted attacks on organizations and servers, mainly in Asia, rather than spread to home users through spam or fake downloads.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?

Yes. Combo Cleaner can detect and remove most known malware infections. Since stealthy threats like BambooToken can hide inside legitimate software, running a full system scan is recommended to make sure nothing is left behind.