The PUA:Win32/WebCompanion notification means that your computer has a problem. Allowing it to keep running may lead to really bad consequences. Unwanted programs are not as threatening as common malware, but can still mischief and lead to system instability.
WebCompanion unwanted program can not be named full-fledged malware. Nevertheless, it has plenty of signs to state that you will not like the changes this thing brings to your computer. PUAs like that may be just an irritating thing, as well as trigger a severe influence on your system’s performance. Additionally, there are a lot of incidents when users state that this application collects user information or other sensitive stuff.
PUA:Win32/WebCompanion Detection Overview
The PUA:Win32/WebCompanion detection you can see in the lower right side is demonstrated to you by Microsoft Defender. That anti-malware application is quite OK at scanning, however, prone to be basically unstable. It is unprotected to malware invasions, it has a glitchy interface and problematic malware removal capabilities. Therefore, the pop-up which states concerning the WebCompanion is rather just a notification that Defender has found it. To remove it, you will likely need to use another anti-malware program.
Microsoft Defender: “PUA:Win32/WebCompanion”
PUA:Win32/WebCompanion unwanted program is a typical example of PUA, which are quite widespread nowadays. Being free to use, it can give you “the extended functions” for the additional money. Some instances of this program type can have no useful performance at all – just the shell with the bright interface. You can see it promoted as a system optimization software, driver updater or torrent downloadings tracker. This or another way it does not provide you any kind of actual capability, exposing you to risk instead.
Unwanted Program Summary:
| Name | WebCompanion PUA |
| Detection | PUA:Win32/WebCompanion |
| Damage | WebCompanion is at least useless, or can perform various malicious actions on your PC. |
| Fix Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by WebCompanion exploit |
Is PUA:Win32/WebCompanion dangerous?
I have actually detailed that PUA:Win32/WebCompanion PUA is not as trustworthy as it claims to be. The “legitimate and valuable” program may abruptly unveil itself as a downloader trojan, spyware, backdoor, or coin miner virus. And you can never foresee what to anticipate even from different variants of WebCompanion unwanted program. That still does not say that you need to panic – probably, this nasty thing has not succeeded to do bad things to your PC.
The exact harm to your system can be caused not just because of the malware injection. A significant share of doubtful programs, like the WebCompanion app is, is just badly programmed. Perhaps, their actions are quite useful than pointless if done on particular system configurations, however, not on each one. That’s how a basic system optimization app can trigger chaos with continuous BSODs on your system. Any interruptions to the system registry are dangerous, and they are a lot more risky if completed with such programs.
How did I get this virus?
It is not easy to line the origins of malware on your computer. Nowadays, things are mixed up, and spreading tactics utilized by adware 5 years ago may be utilized by spyware these days. But if we abstract from the exact spreading way and will think about why it has success, the explanation will be quite basic – low level of cybersecurity awareness. People press on promotions on weird websites, click the pop-ups they receive in their web browsers, call the “Microsoft tech support” believing that the scary banner that says about malware is true. It is important to understand what is legitimate – to stay away from misunderstandings when trying to figure out a virus.
The example of Microsoft Tech support scam banner
Nowadays, there are two of the most widespread ways of malware distribution – lure e-mails and also injection into a hacked program. While the first one is not so easy to stay away from – you need to know a lot to recognize a fake – the 2nd one is easy to handle: just do not use cracked programs. Torrent-trackers and other sources of “totally free” applications (which are, actually, paid, but with a disabled license checking) are just a giveaway place of malware. And PUA:Win32/WebCompanion is simply among them.
Remove WebCompanion with Gridinsoft Anti-Malware
We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common PUAs as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove WebCompanion as well as other malware hiding on your computer.
To use Gridinsoft for remove malicious threats, follow the steps below:
1. Begin by downloading Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, accessible via the blue button below or directly from the official website gridinsoft.com.
2.Once the Gridinsoft setup file (setup-gridinsoft-fix.exe) is downloaded, execute it by clicking on the file.
3.Follow the installation setup wizard's instructions diligently.
4. Access the "Scan Tab" on the application's start screen and launch a comprehensive "Full Scan" to examine your entire computer. This inclusive scan encompasses the memory, startup items, the registry, services, drivers, and all files, ensuring that it detects malware hidden in all possible locations.
Be patient, as the scan duration depends on the number of files and your computer's hardware capabilities. Use this time to relax or attend to other tasks.
5. Upon completion, Anti-Malware will present a detailed report containing all the detected malicious items and threats on your PC.
6. Select all the identified items from the report and confidently click the "Clean Now" button. This action will safely remove the malicious files from your computer, transferring them to the secure quarantine zone of the anti-malware program to prevent any further harmful actions.
8. If prompted, restart your computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. This step is crucial to ensure thorough removal of any remaining threats. After the restart, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware will open and display a message confirming the completion of the scan.
Remember Gridinsoft offers a 6-day free trial. This means you can take advantage of the trial period at no cost to experience the full benefits of the software and prevent any future malware infections on your system. Embrace this opportunity to fortify your computer's security without any financial commitment.
Trojan Killer for “WebCompanion” removal on locked PC
In situations where it becomes impossible to download antivirus applications directly onto the infected computer due to malware blocking access to websites, an alternative solution is to utilize the Trojan Killer application.
There is a really little number of security tools that are able to be set up on the USB drives, and antiviruses that can do so in most cases require to obtain quite an expensive license. For this instance, I can recommend you to use another solution of GridinSoft - Trojan Killer Portable. It has a 14-days cost-free trial mode that offers the entire features of the paid version. This term will definitely be 100% enough to wipe malware out.
Trojan Killer is a valuable tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping you to effectively remove malware from infected computers. Now, we will walk you through the process of using Trojan Killer from a USB flash drive to scan and remove malware on an infected PC. Remember, always obtain permission to scan and remove malware from a computer that you do not own.
Step 1: Download & Install Trojan Killer on a Clean Computer:
1. Go to the official GridinSoft website (gridinsoft.com) and download Trojan Killer to a computer that is not infected.
2. Insert a USB flash drive into this computer.
3. Install Trojan Killer to the "removable drive" following the on-screen instructions.
4. Once the installation is complete, launch Trojan Killer.
Step 2: Update Signature Databases:
5. After launching Trojan Killer, ensure that your computer is connected to the Internet.
6. Click "Update" icon to download the latest signature databases, which will ensure the tool can detect the most recent threats.
Step 3: Scan the Infected PC:
7. Safely eject the USB flash drive from the clean computer.
8. Boot the infected computer to the Safe Mode.
9. Insert the USB flash drive.
10. Run tk.exe
11. Once the program is open, click on "Full Scan" to begin the malware scanning process.
Step 4: Remove Found Threats:
12. After the scan is complete, Trojan Killer will display a list of detected threats.
13. Click on "Cure PC!" to remove the identified malware from the infected PC.
14. Follow any additional on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.
Step 5: Restart Your Computer:
15. Once the threats are removed, click on "Restart PC" to reboot your computer.
16. Remove the USB flash drive from the infected computer.
Congratulations on effectively removing WebCompanion and the concealed threats from your computer! You can now have peace of mind, knowing that they won't resurface again. Thanks to Gridinsoft's capabilities and commitment to cybersecurity, your system is now protected.
What is PUA:Win32/WebCompanion Virus?
Name: PUA:Win32/WebCompanion
Description: If you have seen a message showing the “PUA:Win32/WebCompanion found”, it seems that your system is in trouble. The WebCompanion 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 PUA:Win32/WebCompanion 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: PUA
