HackTool:Win32/PortScan — PortScan HackTool

Written by Wilbur Woodham
If you spectate the alert of HackTool:Win32/PortScan detection, it appears that your system has a problem. All malicious programs are dangerous, with no deviations. PortScan is a virus that aims at opening your computer to further malware injection. Most of of the modern malware variants are complex, and can download other viruses. Being infected with the HackTool:Win32/PortScan malware often means getting a thing which is able act like spyware or stealer, downloader, and a backdoor. Seeing this detection means that you need to perform the malware removal as fast as you can.

Any malware exists with the only target – generate profits on you1. And the developers of these things are not thinking about ethicality – they utilize all available methods. Grabbing your private data, receiving the comission for the banners you watch for them, exploiting your system to mine cryptocurrencies – that is not the full list of what they do. Do you want to be a riding equine? That is a rhetorical question.

What does the pop-up with HackTool:Win32/PortScan detection mean?

The HackTool:Win32/PortScan detection you can see in the lower right corner is demonstrated to you by Microsoft Defender. That anti-malware software is good at scanning, however, prone to be generally unstable. It is vulnerable to malware invasions, it has a glitchy interface and problematic malware removal capabilities. Thus, the pop-up which states concerning the PortScan is rather just an alert that Defender has spotted it. To remove it, you will likely need to use another anti-malware program.

HackTool:Win32/PortScan found

Microsoft Defender: “HackTool:Win32/PortScan”

The exact HackTool:Win32/PortScan infection is a very nasty thing. It digs inside of your system disguised as a part of something legitimate, or as a piece of the tool you downloaded from a forum. After that, it makes everything to weaken your system. At the end of this “party”, it injects other malicious things – ones which are wanted by cyber burglars who manage this malware. Hence, it is almost impossible to predict the effects from PortScan actions. And the unpredictability is one of the most upleasant things when we are talking about malware. That’s why it is rather not to choose at all, and don’t give it even a single chance to complete its task.

Threat Summary:

Name PortScan HackTool
Detection HackTool:Win32/PortScan
Details PortScan is attached to another program (such as a document), which can replicate and spread after an initial execution.
Fix Tool See If Your System Has Been Affected by PortScan HackTool

Is HackTool:Win32/PortScan dangerous?

As I have actually mentioned previously, non-harmful malware does not exist. And HackTool:Win32/PortScan is not an exclusion. This virus changes the system setups, alters the Group Policies and registry. All of these components are crucial for proper system functioning, even in case when we are not talking about Windows security. Therefore, the malware which PortScan carries, or which it will download after some time, will try to get maximum profit from you. Cyber burglars can grab your personal information, and then push it at the black market. Using adware and browser hijacker functionality, built in HackTool:Win32/PortScan malware, they can make revenue by showing you the ads. Each view gives them a penny, but 100 views per day = $1. 1000 victims who watch 100 banners per day – $1000. Easy math, but sad conclusions. It is a bad choice to be a donkey for crooks.

How did I get this virus?

It is difficult to trace the origins of malware on your computer. Nowadays, things are mixed up, and distribution ways chosen by adware 5 years ago can be used by spyware nowadays. But if we abstract from the exact spreading method and will think of why it has success, the answer will be very simple – low level of cybersecurity awareness. People click on ads on odd sites, open the pop-ups they receive in their web browsers, call the “Microsoft tech support” assuming that the scary banner that says about malware is true. It is very important to understand what is legitimate – to stay away from misconceptions when attempting to find out a virus.

Microsoft Tech Support Scam

Microsoft Tech Support Scam

Nowadays, there are two of the most extensive ways of malware spreading – bait emails and injection into a hacked program. While the first one is not so easy to avoid – you should know a lot to recognize a counterfeit – the second one is easy to handle: just do not use cracked programs. Torrent-trackers and other providers of “totally free” applications (which are, actually, paid, but with a disabled license checking) are really a giveaway place of malware. And HackTool:Win32/PortScan is simply among them.

How to remove the HackTool:Win32/PortScan from my PC?

HackTool:Win32/PortScan malware is very hard to remove manually. It stores its documents in a variety of locations throughout the disk, and can recover itself from one of the parts. Furthermore, numerous alterations in the windows registry, networking configurations and also Group Policies are really hard to discover and change to the original. It is much better to make use of a special app – exactly, an anti-malware program. GridinSoft Anti-Malware will fit the best for malware elimination purposes.

Why GridinSoft Anti-Malware? It is really lightweight and has its databases updated almost every hour. In addition, it does not have such problems and weakness as Microsoft Defender does. The combination of these aspects makes GridinSoft Anti-Malware perfect for taking out malware of any kind.

Remove the viruses with GridinSoft Anti-Malware

  • Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware. After the installation, you will be offered to perform the Standard Scan. Approve this action.
  • Gridinsoft Anti-Malware during the scan process

  • Standard scan checks the logical disk where the system files are stored, together with the files of programs you have already installed. The scan lasts up to 6 minutes.
  • GridinSoft Anti-Malware scan results

  • When the scan is over, you may choose the action for each detected virus. For all files of PortScan the default option is “Delete”. Press “Apply” to finish the malware removal.
  • GridinSoft Anti-Malware - After Cleaning
How to Remove HackTool:Win32/PortScan Malware

Name: HackTool:Win32/PortScan

Description: If you have seen a message showing the “HackTool:Win32/PortScan found”, it seems that your system is in trouble. The PortScan virus was detected, but to remove it, you need to use a security tool. Windows Defender, which has shown you this message, has detected the malware. However, Defender is not a reliable thing - it is prone to malfunction when it comes to malware removal. Getting the HackTool:Win32/PortScan malware on your PC is an unpleasant thing, and removing it as soon as possible must be your primary task.

Operating System: Windows

Application Category: HackTool

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References

  1. Read about malware types on GridinSoft Threat encyclopedia.

About the author

Wilbur Woodham

I was a technical writer from early in my career, and consider IT Security one of my foundational skills. I’m sharing my experience here, and I hope you find it useful.

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