Remove USB shortcut virus

Whenever you use either a USB flash drive or some other external device on computers other than your own, that of friends, at school or some other public place like a cybercafé, you expose your devices to viruses.

USB shortcut virus is often the term used to classify these viruses, although a most accurate description would be that of a worm, because they are malicious programs capable of automatically spread themselves from one computer to another.

Being as it is, USB flash drives become an important source of infection, allowing the virus to “jump” from one computer to another. As soon as one computer is infected, all devices plugged into it will become infected as well, allowing the spread to continue.

Usually, antivirus programs are capable of protecting us against this kind of infections, therefore computers already infected with them are the ones without a proper antivirus installed. That’s why they are often found at public places such as schools, cybercafés or business networks.

This infection will simply replace all files present on the USB flash drive with shortcuts that once the user double-clicks on them, start the virus. These USB virus aim exclusively at Windows systems.

The main issue is that the affected user thinks he/she has lost all files, when in reality they have just been copied to another location and have been hidden (therefore they are only visible after changing settings on folder’s properties).

In most cases these files can be retrieved with the help of simple, effective and free disinfection tools.

How to remove USB shortcut virus ?

Remove USB shortcut virus with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware is a light-weight anti-malware program that is excellent at removing the latest detections.

• Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to your desktop.
  Premium Version Free Version (without Real-time protection)
• Install MalwareBytes Anti-Malware using the installation wizard.
• Once installed, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will automatically start and you will see a message stating that you should update the program, and that a scan has never been run on your system. To start a system scan you can click on the Fix Now button.
• If an update is found, you will be prompted to download and install the latest version.
• Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start scanning your computer for USB shortcut virus.
• When the scan is complete, make sure that everything is set to Quarantine, and click Apply Actions.
• When removing the files, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware may require a reboot in order to remove some of them. If it displays a message stating that it needs to reboot your computer, please allow it to do so.

Remove USB shortcut virus with AdwCleaner

AdwCleaner is a useful tool developed to delete unwanted toolbars, browser hijackers, redirects and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome or Opera. AdwCleaner will require no installation and can be ran in a instantaneous to examine your system.

• Please download AdwCleaner by Xplode and save to your Desktop :
  Download AdwCleaner
• Double-click on AdwCleaner.exe to run the tool (Windows Vista/7/8 users : right-click and select Run As Administrator).
• Click on the Scan button.
• After the scan has finished, click on the Clean button..
• Press OK again to allow AdwCleaner to restart the computer and complete the removal process.

Remove USB shortcut virus with ZHPCleaner

ZHPCleaner is a program that searches for and deletes Adware, Toolbars, Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), and browser Hijackers from your computer. By using ZHPCleaner you can easily remove many of these types of programs for a better user experience on your computer and while browsing the web.

• If Avast is installed on you computer you have to disable it during the process.
• You can download AdwCleaner utility from the below button :
  Download ZHPCleaner
• Select ZHPCleaner.exe with right mouse click and Run as Administrator.
• Accept the user agreement.
• Click on the Scanner button.
• After the scan has finished, click on the Repair button.
• Reboot your computer.

Remove completly USB shortcut virus with Junkware Removal Tool

Junkware Removal Tool (JRT) purges your system of PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) like USB shortcut virus almost as easily as they find their way into your system. JRT targets adware, toolbars, and other malicious, suspicious, and pernicious system parasites, removing not only the unwanted program but also any traces left behind in your registry and other places where debris accumulates.

• Download Junkware Removal Tool :
  Download Junkware Removal Tool
• Shut down your anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software now to avoid potential conflicts.
• Run the tool by double-clicking it. If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, right-click it and select Run as administrator.
• The tool will open and start scanning your system.
• Please be patient as this can take a while to complete depending on your system's specifications.
• On completion, a log is saved to your desktop and will automatically open.

Remove USB shortcut virus with HitmanPro

HitmanPro is an anti-virus program that describes itself as a second opinion scanner that should be used in conjunction with another anti-virus program that you may already have installed.

• You can download HitmanPro from the below link:
  Download HitmanPro
• Double-click on the file named HitmanPro.exe (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or HitmanPro_x64.exe (for 64-bit versions of Windows).
• Click on the Next button, to install HitmanPro on your computer.
• HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for USB shortcut virus malicious files.
• When it has finished it will display a list of all the malware that the program found as shown in the image below. Click on the Next button, to remove USB shortcut virus virus.