How to remove Wireshark Antivirus (Virus Removal Guide)
Posted on 10. Aug, 2010 by Free PC Guides in Virus Removal Guides
The Wireshark Antivirus is a rogue anti-spyware program (we’ll stick to the virus name, although it’s not its textbook definition) that mimics the behavior of legitimate antivirus software. The purpose is to convince you that your computer has a virus/security problem so that you pay money to have these viruses removed. The trick is that Wireshark Antivirus is the actual infection in your computer and that instead of giving your credit card number to these criminals, the only thing you need to do is remove Wireshark Antivirus using the removal guide below.
Wireshark Antivirus gets on your computer when you download an infected image, browsed infected porn sites and such. Once installed, the virus will be programmed to start when your Windows OS loads. Once on your computer, it will perform a fake virus scan and tell you that your computer is infected. Then the Wireshark Antivirus tells you that you have to pay for the full version to remove these infections. Remember that Wireshark Antivirus is actually the virus itself and that you shouldn’t pay that money under any circumstances.
How to remove Wireshark Antivirus (Virus Removal Guide)
Ok, so now that you have a brief idea of what Wireshark Antivirus is, let’s learn how to remove Wireshark Antivirus completely free, by following our simple removal guide.
How to remove Wireshark Antivirus (Virus Removal Guide)
Please remember that each step is equally important.
Step 1. Because Wireshark Antivirus might mess with your Internet connection, you might have to download the tools we are going to use on another computer and then transfer them to the desktop of the infected computer using a CD/DVD or an USB stick.
The files we are going to need are:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – MBAM will scan your computer for any viruses and remove them
iExplore.exe – A great tool developed by Lawrence Abrams. It will stop the Wireshark Antivirus process (close it for good), so we can remove it.
Step 2. Once you transferred the files, it’s time to close Wireshark Antivirus so that we can remove it. Because Wireshark Antivirus will not go away easily, we are going to use eXplore.exe to kill the process. Run eXplore.exe until Wireshark Antivirus is gone. If it doesn’t work the first time, try running it multiple times simultaneously. It might not work at first, but keep going at it, as the Wireshark Antivirus virus will eventually be closed.
Step 3. Now that we have closed Wireshark Antivirus, we should remove it (and any related files). For this, we will use Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware. Run the setup from the desktop, and proceed with the standard MBAM install settings (remember to check the “automatically update MBAM” box).
Step 4. When MBAM is up and running, go to “Scanner” and perform a full scan of your computer. Don’t worry, the scan is supposed to take quite a while, but that’s a price you should be willing to pay. When the scan is complete, check all the infections MBAM detected and select “remove selected”. Now wait for MBAM to remove Wireshark Antivirus (as well as other infections it detected) from your computer.
Step 5. Now I would suggest you use CCleaner to remove all temporary files from your computer. This is a trick I use each time I’m trying to remove a virus from an infected computer. Here is a tutorial on how to do that.
Step 6 (OPTIONAL): If you really want to be sure you got the little bugger out for good, I recommend that you use another malware removal tool, called SuperAntiSpyware. You can download the free edition here. Just install it and perform a scan. If it catches anything, remove it.
At this point, you should have removed Wireshark Antivirus and any related files from your computer. Leave a comment if anything went wrong and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
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21 Responses to “How to remove Wireshark Antivirus (Virus Removal Guide)”
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remove Wireshark Antivirus
10. Aug, 2010
Finally I removed Wireshark Antivirus from my computer. Thank you for the post
johnE
15. Aug, 2010
Big headache. I had TROUBLE but got through it, because iExplore and rkill didn’t work, so I feel I owe hints:
1) Because it was masking my internet browser, I did load iExplore/kill and MBAM from another computer over to my desktop by clip drive. 2) I made 3 renamed copies of iExplore, clicking them one after another, after another. 3) This never stopped the virus popups, even after many times when it blacked out my computer, requiring power down and back up; I just slid the virus messages out of the way, when necessary and ignored them. 4) What worked finally was restarting, clicking iExplore several times (which seemed to suppress Wireshark long enough for me to open and load and run MBAM, which I had also loaded to the desktop already). 5) Maybe the iExplore ended up just being vodoo (not at all helpful?) but it seemed to suppress the virus a bit — and wouldn’t shut the computer down if I only clicked it a couple times every few minutes. So I turn the computer on, click iExplore a few times, and then opened MBAM anyway, even through the virus was still active. I kept clicking/running IExplore in the background about once every 3 minutes, in case it was helping, but could not get through the full scan; failure after more than an hour into the full scan!, clicking iExplore a couple times every 3 minutes, hoping it might suppress the virus. But …CLEVER IDEA, – I restarted the computer, same strategy again, clicking iExplore a few times in case it was helping, and ran MBAM in “quick scan” mode, still clicking renamed iExplore twice every three minutes in case it helped; I got through the quick scan without the virus shutting it down, and the quick scan killed it enough for me then go back, restart the computer, and (without touching iExplorea at all this time), I ran the full scan picking up any remaining Malware. Yes this ruined a day.
The MBAM was great — THANK YOU!
leah
15. Aug, 2010
I am now on the 20th run in !explore.exe. Malware is running found 32 objects infected – but hasn’t found anything new for the last 25 minutes. The scan in now in 48 minutes.
what I am doing wrong???
RC-ECSD
20. Sep, 2010
put the iExplore.exe on a flash drive and run it from the flash drive; not from the computer or desktop. Malware seems to corrupt the execution of the software when it is run from the computer desktop.
i have had scans go as long as 53 to 60 minutes before completion depending on the size of the hard drive. Larger drives take longer and require more patience.
Edil Rodriguez
11. Aug, 2010
wow guys, thanks so much. you helped me. My cell phone just broke, the girl i liked just told me she wants to be friends… I couldn’t take losing my pc also… *Exhale*
Dolores
11. Aug, 2010
My computer is infected by the Wireshark Antivirus virus. I followed the directions to get rid of it. I couldn’t get past the “clicking” on the executive file. I clicked for two hours without any good results. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you.
Leann
11. Aug, 2010
RE: Trying to remove Wireshark. I made it to step 4, but the problem is, nothing will run on my computer. When I click on the MBAM icon on my desktop and select “run,” it doesn’t do anything. Any suggestions?
Shark Hunter
12. Aug, 2010
Ok This is brilliant tried the simple stuff when I found that I could not get into add and remove programs on my PC I knew I was in trouble I went to a site I have used before to scan my PC it would not let me down load the software. I used a memory stick to download and transfer the software you suggested from my laptop to my PC followed the instructions killed the Wireshark thanks for being there
Milan
12. Aug, 2010
Are you supposed to run iexplore.exe while wireshark antivirus is on or while its closed?
Mihai Andrici
12. Aug, 2010
You have to run iExplore.exe while wireshark antivirus is on and then keep running it until the virus process is closed.
S
12. Aug, 2010
The iexplore won’t even open while the wireshark is open. Any thoughts?
Glenda White
12. Aug, 2010
This was great.. Thanks for the OUTSTANDING walkthrough.. i thought i was gonna have to call out the geek squad but you made it easy.. Thanks!!
Jen
13. Aug, 2010
How many times do you have to run iExplore? I have tried it like 20 times and it keeps saying there is a error and the program will be terminated…is this normal? And do I just keep trying?
E
13. Aug, 2010
I removed Wireshark Antivirus with CCleaner, MBAM or Norton Power Eraser… I don’t really remember which actually removed it but I ran all 3. Now none show any bad files, but I cannot run Internet Explorer and my d drive only runs in Safe Mode. When I reboot the computer there is a screen that says “Press any key to run from CD or DVD….” If you press a key it brings you to a screen that says Windows could not be found, load your Windows cd to re-install. If you DON’T press any key Windows loads. I went to the boot.ini tab on msconfig to run the computer in Safe Mode because pressing F8 brought me to the screen that said Windows did not exist. Someone please help!
bill
13. Aug, 2010
thank you thank you thank you
Dave
14. Aug, 2010
Works perfect, This thing would just rebuild and I was ready to give up until I found this. Thank you so much
Jay
14. Aug, 2010
I keep getting an open with window when I try to run the program, any program for that matter. Did the the WireShark wanna be break my .exe file associations???
Deb
16. Aug, 2010
Thanks so much!! Worked perfect!! I also downloaded on a memory stick and then ran the programs from there. I had been fooling around with this for a couple days. It’s finally gone!! Thanks again!!
Brian
17. Aug, 2010
Is iExplore.exe required or can you use rkill? I believe they are the same thing. Also, does this virus alter your HOST file like Master Security AV does? For that it is recc. to delete and re-create a new HOST file. Thanks.
Jeff
20. Aug, 2010
Having the same symptoms as others (nasty WireShark pop-up, Malwarebytes and Add/Remove Programs wouldn’t start), I thought I would try rebooting into safe mode and (instantly) launching a recently installed and updated version of Malwarebytes. It worked!! Found and deleted 40 items that were all WireShark related. Did a normal reboot and all was well!
Paul P
23. Sep, 2010
Wow what an ingenious virus!!
MBAM at least 30 times to successfully d’load then run, still no restore/user/cpanel.exe files, dll’s….lol
Then Superspyware just wouldn’t load
so got AVG 8.5 that finally loaded then run still bad!!
Then superspyware d’loaded, ran it FIXED!! A miracle. Thanks…..Took me 2 weeks of after hours toying though…..
Yeah I got my computer back (for now) HAHA!
Persistence is key, Instead of clicking open right click “run as” and unprotect (if you have nothing to lose) or iexplore etc and many programs may be able to run…..GOOD LUCK