If you spectate the notification of HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A detection, it looks like that your computer has a problem. All viruses are dangerous, with no exceptions. Mimikatz unwanted app can not be called full-fledged malware.
Mimikatz is an infamous hacktool that is capable of hacking Windows credentials handling mechanism. Such an ability is invaluable for hackers, especially ones that try to escalate privileges. That is the key reason why anti-malware programs detect it: there’s always a chance that the instance of Mimikatz will have malicious origins.
Any malware exists with the only target – gain money on you. And the programmers of these things are not thinking about morality – they use all possible methods. Grabbing your private data, receiving the payments for the ads you watch for them, exploiting your PC to mine cryptocurrencies – that is not the full list of what they do. Do you like to be a riding horse? That is a rhetorical question.
What does the notification with HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A detection mean?
The HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A detection you can see in the lower right side is demonstrated to you by Microsoft Defender. That anti-malware program is pretty good at scanning, however, prone to be generally unreliable. It is vulnerable to malware attacks, it has a glitchy user interface and problematic malware clearing features. Hence, the pop-up which states concerning the Mimikatz is just a notification that Defender has found it. To remove it, you will likely need to use a separate anti-malware program.
Microsoft Defender: “HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A”
HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A unwanted program is a case in point of PUA, which are pretty widespread nowadays. Being free to use, it may give you “the extended functions” for the additional payment. Some instances of this program type can have no useful performance at all – just the shell with the bright interface. You can see it advertised as a system optimization tool, driver updater or torrent downloadings tracker. This or another way it does not provide you any real performance, exposing you to risk instead.
Unwanted Program Summary:
| Name | Mimikatz PUA |
| Detection | HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A |
| Damage | Mimikatz is at least useless, or can perform various malicious actions on your PC. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by Mimikatz exploit |
File Info
Alternative detection names
Is HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A dangerous?
I have actually specified that HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A PUA is not as trustworthy as it pretends to be. The “legit and effective” app may suddenly uncover itself as a downloader trojan, spyware, backdoor, or coin miner malware. And you can never foresee what to anticipate even from different variants of Mimikatz unwanted program. That still does not imply that you have to panic – possibly, this unpleasant thing has not succeeded to do bad things to your PC.
The particular damage to your system may be created not only due to the malware injection. A considerable share of suspicious programs, like the Mimikatz app is, is just improperly developed. Possibly, their actions are quite effective than useless if done on certain system setups, however, not on each one. That’s how a basic system optimization application can trigger chaos with continuous BSODs on your system. Any interruptions to the system registry are unsafe, and they are much more dangerous if made with such programs.
How did I get this virus?
It is not easy to trace the sources of malware on your computer. Nowadays, things are mixed up, and distribution tactics used by adware 5 years ago can be utilized by spyware nowadays. However, if we abstract from the exact distribution way and will think about why it has success, the reply will be really basic – low level of cybersecurity knowledge. People press on promotions on odd websites, click the pop-ups they get in their browsers, call the “Microsoft tech support” assuming that the scary banner that states about malware is true. It is necessary to recognize what is legit – to avoid misunderstandings when trying to figure out a virus.
The example of Microsoft Tech support scam banner
Nowadays, there are two of the most extensive tactics of malware spreading – lure e-mails and injection into a hacked program. While the first one is not so easy to evade – you must know a lot to recognize a counterfeit – the 2nd one is simple to solve: just do not use cracked applications. Torrent-trackers and various other providers of “totally free” applications (which are, exactly, paid, but with a disabled license checking) are just a giveaway place of malware. And HackTool:Win64/Mimikatz.A is simply one of them.
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