Win32:PUP-gen

Posted: January 13, 2012

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	71

First Seen:	January 13, 2012
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Win32:PUP-gen is a generic label for a program that's a potential security risk to your PC even if the program isn't deliberately malicious. Since many types of programs can acquire the Win32:PUP-gen label, you should use your judgment and recommendations from PC security companies to determine whether or not any particular Win32:PUP-gen alert is worth removing software. Win32:PUP-gen software can lead to security vulnerabilities. Those vulnerabilities may be exploited by additional PC threats or hackers and may also be detected as part of a component for either a high-level threat (such as a rootkit) or a low-level threat (such as adware). Under normal circumstances, SpywareRemove.com malware research team recommends that you remove Win32:PUP-gen with anti-malware software unless you have an urgent matter and need to use the program in question.

Win32:PUP-gen – Spanning Every Possibility from Non-Threat to an Urgent Crisis for Your PC

Win32:PUP-gen, AKA a potentially unwanted program, is a label that's used for any type of program that displays characteristics that are typical for applications with poor security. Although most types of Win32:PUP-gen programs are specific to Windows and may even be designed just for 32-bit systems, their issues may also translate over to Windows 64-bit systems. In general, it's recommended for you to research into the history and risks for any specific program that triggers a Win32:PUP-gen alert, since Win32:PUP-gen detections, depending on the situation, can be anything from false positives to rootkits.

If you attempt to remove a Win32:PUP-gen program with anti-malware software and the program appears to reinstall itself, SpywareRemove.com malware experts note that your PC is likely to be infected by a rootkit. Rootkits can be used to hijack your web browser, steal personal information or allow backdoor access to your PC, and due to their capabilities, should always be treated as high-level threats to your computer's safety. Particularly thorough safety measures, such as booting directly to the Command Prompt or booting from a USB device, may be required before anti-malware scanners can remove all components of a Win32:PUP-genrootkit.

Figuring Out Where You Picked This Pup Up for Your Computer

SpywareRemove.com malware experts have found Win32:PUP-gen to be in use as a label for many programs, but especially for the following types of software:

For MCLawl, a server application for the Minecraft online game. MCLawl isn't considered deliberately harmful but may be a security risk for your PC.
For rogue anti-malware products like SystemFix. Rogue anti-malware programs will create fake pop-up errors and fraudulent system scans to feed you inaccurate information about PC threats that aren't on your computer. They may also redirect your web browser or disable legitimate security programs.
For banker Trojans like Trojan-Banker.Win32.Banker. Banker Trojans steal personal information from banks, and often accomplish this by redirecting your web browser to phishing sites that look identical to authentic bank sites.

Use SpyHunter to Detect and Remove PC Threats

If you are concerned that malware or PC threats similar to Win32:PUP-gen may have infected your computer, we recommend you start an in-depth system scan with SpyHunter. SpyHunter is an advanced malware protection and remediation application that offers subscribers a comprehensive method for protecting PCs from malware, in addition to providing one-on-one technical support service.

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Why can't I open any program including SpyHunter? You may have a malware file running in memory that kills any programs that you try to launch on your PC. Tip: Download SpyHunter from a clean computer, copy it to a USB thumb drive, DVD or CD, then install it on the infected PC and run SpyHunter's malware scanner.

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:

[RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe

File name: [RANDOM CHARACTERS].exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file