Fake Google Chrome Processes

Fake Google Chrome Processes are symptoms of threatening software exploiting your PC's resources for Web-based purposes, such as generating fake traffic. Since most Fake Google Chrome Processes don't launch a visible browser window, you can best notice them through regular monitoring of your PC's normal memory processes. Anti-malware products always should be used to delete the threat responsible for creating Fake Google Chrome Processes, and removing or modifying your Chrome installation normally has no effect on these threats.

What Your Browser's doing While You're not Looking

Fake Google Chrome Processes are one of the most common signs of the presence of a Trojan using your system's browser (or one it's installed itself) to initiate harmful activities. Although the possibilities from Fake Google Chrome Processes encompass the same broad ones as any browser-based threat, malware experts usually see them corresponding to one of two attacks. In either case, the Fake Google Chrome Processes are loaded in formats that avoid browser pop-ups, browser redirects or other, similarly visible symptoms.

• The least threatening, but still unsafe utility for Fake Google Chrome Processes corresponds to fraudulent advertising traffic, typically via pay-per-click systems. Other than taking up the infected system's resources, these variants of Fake Google Chrome Processes don't harm your PC directly.
• The second, common abuse of Fake Google Chrome Processes uses them to initiate contact with communication servers, exploit kits and other sources of downloadable threats. Trojans using Fake Google Chrome Processes, therefore, may create new security risks by installing additional threats automatically. Most common payloads are other, specialized formats of threats that will not show entries in the Windows Control Panel.

The former technique has well-publicized links to the PoweliksTrojan, which malware analysts sometimes see installing file encryptors like the CryptoWall Ransomware. Most versions of Trojans abusing Fake Google Chrome Processes, up to 2015, use randomly-generated names (such as 'Ddqatencj.exe' or 'dxvjblkaap.exe') that partially disguise the nature of their files.

Trimming Your Chrome Processes Back Down to Safety

You may detect many, but not all Fake Google Chrome Processes with an appropriate memory-monitoring application, such as the Windows Task Manager or OS X's Activity Monitor. Random file names, high memory usage and the presence of random files in unusual locations are some of the other signs of Fake Google Chrome Processes. Simultaneously, however, malware experts recommend against assuming all Chrome processes are Fake Google Chrome Processes. Many Web browsers, including Chrome, may create multiple, albeit normally-named, memory processes during their regular operations.

Fake Google Chrome Processes are only symptoms of threats, rather than an essential component of a Trojan or other threatening program. If you need to remove Fake Google Chrome Processes, the first step malware experts recommend would be to scan your PC with anti-malware products. Detecting and deleting the responsible PC threat also should stop any Fake Google Chrome Processes from being created without needing to modify your normal Chrome installation.