Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A

Posted: August 22, 2013

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:	6/10
Infected PCs:	16

First Seen:	August 22, 2013
Last Seen:	June 12, 2022
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A is a variant of the Orbit file-downloading utility that also may include additional code for launching Distributed-Denial-of-Service attacks against arbitrary websites. Although DDoS attacks usually don't harm the PC they use as a 'launching pad,' they do take up your computer's resources without your consent and use those resources for illegal activities. Even if you insist on using the Orbit Downloader, SpywareRemove.com malware experts strongly recommend that you use anti-malware software to scan any version of that program prior to installation to make sure that you aren't installing a version of Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A; non-DDoS versions of the Orbit Downloader continue to be in circulation and should be used in favor over Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A variants.

When a Program's Moral Orbit Goes a Little Askew

Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A is a very rare example of an ordinarily-legitimate and reasonably popular program being used as a vehicle for attacks more typically found on backdoor Trojans and worms like Email-Worm.Win32.Mydoom.m and Drive Malware. As recent variants of the Orbit Downloader program, Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A actually is an official update that also happens to include a component expressly for launching Denial-of-Service attacks, which simulate excessive online traffic to crash targeted websites. SpywareRemove.com malware experts have noted that DDoS attacks often are used merely as illegal forms of online activism or even pranks, but also have been employed in more serious attacks (such as campaigns of theft against online banks).

DDoS-capable PC threats like Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A generally don't harm the infected PC directly while launching their attacks, but DDoS attacks sometimes can use excessive system resources, causing a corresponding loss of system stability or performance. Since Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A includes this function without your consent and may very well be updated to include other malicious functions in the feature, SpywareRemove.com malware experts urge you to avoid versions of the Orbit Downloader that are confirmed as including this component (versions after 4.1.1.14).

Getting Your Downloads without a Side of Crime

Since Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A is attached to an otherwise legitimate application that usually is not installed without your permission, avoiding installing the Orbit Downloader is the easiest way to keep Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A from infecting your PC. When in doubt, you also may want to consider using anti-malware tools to scan any Orbit Downloader installers to determine whether or not they fall in the range of versions including Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A. Other than the minor symptoms noted earlier in this article, Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A does not interfere with your normal PC usage significantly and is difficult to detect by eye.

Uninstalling Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A from your computer usually should use these same anti-malware utilities, as SpywareRemove.com malware researchers have confirmed that Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A includes self-updating capabilities that make Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A a security risk in other ways besides its potential for causing DDoS attacks. However, if you use common sense and stick to file-downloading programs that have been proven more trustworthy than Orbit Downloader, your PC never should fall under Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A's sway at all.

Win32/DDoS.Orbiter.A

Threat Metric

When a Program's Moral Orbit Goes a Little Askew

Getting Your Downloads without a Side of Crime

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