What is the Kwampirs Malware?

The Kwampirs malware is a recent malware threat that was identified by the FBI. In their statement, the feds noted that the Kwampirs malware targets software supply chain companies with a remote access Trojan (RAT) with the goal of getting access to the victim’s strategic partners and customers.

Some of the entities that are targeted, according to the FBI, include manufacturers, financial institutions, energy generators and other industrial operators. But the main target of the Kwampirs virus are healthcare systems in the US, Asia, and Europe where the virus has had a degree of success.

According to security experts, 39% of the malware victims have been healthcare systems, 15% in the IT industry, 8% agriculture while 15% were from other sectors.

What Does the Kwampirs Malware Do?

As a remote access Trojan, the Kwampirs malware is able to gives hackers remote access to a computer or a network of computers. It is used by hacker groups to carry out corporate espionage attacks on a very massive scale.

One of the reasons that makes the Kwampirs backdoor Trojan successful in its filtration attempts is the fact that it can remain hidden for a really long time without raising any alarms. During its hibernation stage, the malware collects as much information as possible about its targets and only makes its move after it is certain that it has the ‘right’ victim.

Before starting its worm-like behavior, the Kwampirs malware decrypts its main payload, writes a random string into it, and writes code on the disk that makes it hard for anti-malware solutions to detect its malicious behavior based on hash readings.

The app will also perform the following system changes:

• It will create a new service called WmiApSryEx with the following display name: WMI Performance Adapter Extension
• It will copy malicious entities into the ADMIN$, D$WINDOWS, C$WINDOWS, and E$WINDOWS folders
• It modifies the registry using rundll32.exe
• It downloads additional files from its Command & Control server

After doing all this, only then will the virus spread across the entire network and start its reign of terror. It can then be used to infect the computers with a ransomware that encrypts all files and folders, thus rendering the target organization impossible to run.

How to Remove the Kwampirs Malware

To remove the Kwampirs malware, you need a really tough antivirus solution such as Outbyte Antivirus as it is hopeless to rely on any of those ‘free’ anti-malware solutions when it comes to dealing with a stealthy RAT such as Kwampirs.

Another reason that makes an antivirus your only real choice when it comes to Kwampirs malware removal is the fact that it is capable of hiding in places where you least expect to find viruses, making it a virtually impossible task to hunt it down manually.

You might also want to deploy a PC repair tool too, given that a PC repair tool will make it easier for you to monitor the processes that are running on your computer. That way, it is easier to flag suspicious processes, especially ones that indicate that your network is showing too much activity than you would normally expect.

A PC cleaner is also capable of deleting junk files and repairing broken or corrupt registry entries. It will, in other words, eliminate many of the hiding places used by the malware.

To increase the effectiveness of the anti-malware program, run your Windows PC on Safe Mode. Safe Mode is a basic state that isolates all apps and settings, except the ones that come with the Windows OS.

To boot your computer into the safe mode option, take the following steps:

1. Press the Windows logo and go to Settings.
2. Select Update & Security > Recovery.
3. Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
4. From the Choose an Option screen that appears after your computer restarts, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
5. After your computer restarts, you will see a list of options. Press F5 to select Safe Mode with Networking.

Safe Mode with Networking will allow you to access the internet where you can download repair tools, receive help, or read more on the Kwampirs malware removal process.

What else can you do to get rid of the Kwampirs malware? Here are some other recovery options.

System Restore

System Restore is a Windows process that lets you undo changes to your computer’s configuration and system files past a certain restore point. Whenever your computer starts acting up because of an app, malware, update or change to settings, you can activate the system restore process. Here is how:

1. On the Windows sign-in screen, press and hold the Shift key while selecting Power > Restart.
2. On the Choose an Option screen that appears after your computer restarts, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.
3. Follow the on-screen directions to complete the system restore process.

Please note that the System Restore option will only work if there is a restore point on your computer that was created before the Kwampirs malware attacked your computer.

Reset or Refresh your Computer

Finally, you can choose to reset or refresh your computer to its default Windows state. The following are the steps to take to achieve this:

1. Go to Settings > Change PC settings.
2. Click Update and recovery.
3. Under Refresh your PC without affecting your files, tap or click Get started.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

To reset your computer, take the following steps:

1. Go to Settings > Change PC settings.
2. Click Update and recovery.
3. Under Remove Everything and Reinstall Windows, tap Get started.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

For a complete and thorough removal of the Kwampirs malware, you might need to combine the power of antivirus with something like System Restore or the Refresh option.

Do you know of any other way of getting rid of the Kwampirs backdoor access Trojan? Feel free to share in the comment section below.