W32/Patched.UA

Posted: July 18, 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:	9/10
Infected PCs:	53

First Seen:	July 18, 2012
Last Seen:	July 1, 2020
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

W32/Patched.UA is a PC threat that corrupts the Windows Services Control Manager (the file services.exe) so that W32/Patched.UA may launch itself automatically and stay hidden while W32/Patched.UA conducts other attacks. Because W32/Patched.UA usually is discovered next to other PC threats, including high-level threats such as rootkits, SpywareRemove.com malware researchers encourage you to use anti-malware detection methods that can find and remove any type of infection from your PC along with W32/Patched.UA. Improper removal methods for W32/Patched.UA can damage your operating system and are unlikely to be able to delete all other PC threats, and until security software has confirmed your PC's safety anew, you should assume that confidential information stored on your computer, as well as your computer's overall security levels, are both at risk from any W32/Patched.UA infection.

W32/Patched.UA: Twisting Your Own System Files to Bitter Ends

W32/Patched.UA operates by a strategy that's virtually identical to that of other recently-noted PC threats like Trojan Horse Patched_c.LYU, Trojan Horse Patched_c.LYT or Trojan horse Patched_c.LZE. By inserting its code into the services.exe file, a normal component of Windows, W32/Patched.UA enables its own automatic startup and prevents you from detecting individual files that could be confirmed as malicious. SpywareRemove.com malware analysts have also noticed that PC threats that are designed to use W32/Patched.UA's strategies for system infections also has a high probability of being injecting into unrelated memory processes, which will let W32/Patched.UA stay open in memory under a different name. Seasoned PC users may be able to notice these minor changes by spotting a change in services.exe's file size or unusual RAM usage from Task Manager (provided that it's not disabled).

While W32/Patched.UA's full functions haven't been analyzed, PC threats like W32/Patched.UA that conceal themselves in services.exe files are often used to conceal rootkit components for the purposes of stealing private information, hijacking web browsers and installing other types of hostile software. Trojans and rootkits that SpywareRemove.com malware analysts have particularly noticed in connection with W32/Patched.UA infections include TR/ATRAPS.Gen, TR/ATRAPS.Gen2, BOO/Whistler.A and TR/Small.FI. Like W32/Patched.UA, many of these PC threats can corrupt Windows components – including system Restore Points. However, unlike a virus, they haven't been observed to infect wide ranges of file types under their own power.

Deleting W32/Patched.UA in a Way That Sticks

Active anti-malware programs should be able to detect W32/Patched.UA whenever W32/Patched.UA is injected into memory, although they may be unable to remove W32/Patched.UA in any initial system scans. Additional steps, such as using specialized anti-rootkit utilities, booting into Safe Mode or booting your PC from a removable media device may be necessary before your anti-malware software can fully disinfect your hard drive of W32/Patched.UA and any related PC threats.

Although W32/Patched.UA's infection routes are still being defined, SpywareRemove.com malware experts have analyzed some reports of W32/Patched.UA infections in association with contact with compromised websites for frozen food companies. Strong browser security coupled with equally-strong anti-malware software should be considered while browsing the web, particularly since observed rates of W32/Patched.UA attacks have risen in June and July of this year.

W32/Patched.UA

Threat Metric

W32/Patched.UA: Twisting Your Own System Files to Bitter Ends

Deleting W32/Patched.UA in a Way That Sticks

Leave a Reply