WIN32:Downloader-NZI

Posted: May 14, 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:	5/10
Infected PCs:	54

First Seen:	May 14, 2012
Last Seen:	September 18, 2019
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

WIN32:Downloader-NZI is a Trojan downloader that downloads and installs other PC threats without your consent. PC threats like WIN32:Downloader-NZI are often distributed by spam e-mail but may also propagate via drive-by-download attacks, bundled software installations and other methods. SpywareRemove.com malware researchers recommend that you attempt to detect and delete WIN32:Downloader-NZI with suitable security software immediately, since WIN32:Downloader-NZI can install other types of hostile software that can perform a variety of attacks, potentially including issues such as browser redirects or stealing private information. The greatest barrier to removing WIN32:Downloader-NZI lies in its ability to block its own deletion by appropriate anti-malware products, which mandates disabling WIN32:Downloader-NZI's startup by one of various ways before you can even attempt to remove WIN32:Downloader-NZI for good.

WIN32:Downloader-NZI – a PC Threat That Requires a Veritable Bull Rush to Remove

The only symptoms of a WIN32:Downloader-NZI infection that you're likely to notice are WIN32:Downloader-NZI's attempts to hinder your security and anti-virus programs. Typical behavior for such attacks includes WIN32:Downloader-NZI allowing such programs to run, but crashing them or causing other errors when they try to detect, delete or quarantine WIN32:Downloader-NZI. While SpywareRemove.com malware experts still discourage manual deletion attempts for WIN32:Downloader-NZI when other options are available, you may have to take extreme measures to shut WIN32:Downloader-NZI down before your anti-malware software can function (such as booting your PC from a removable drive or network-shared drive).

WIN32:Downloader-NZI, like all Trojan downloaders, is purposed to install other PC threats and should be countered by system scans that can also detect WIN32:Downloader-NZI's potential payloads. PC threats that SpywareRemove.com malware researchers have often noted to be installed by Trojans similar to WIN32:Downloader-NZI include browser hijackers, rogue anti-malware programs, spyware, banking Trojans and rootkits. You may be able to detect WIN32:Downloader-NZI's downloading and uploading activities indirectly by noticing unusual usage of network resources, but direct signs of WIN32:Downloader-NZI's attacks aren't guaranteed to appear.

Keeping WIN32:Downloader-NZI from Furthering Its Misdeeds

Because some sources have reported that WIN32:Downloader-NZI can include worm-based propagation techniques, you should also be cautious about preventing WIN32:Downloader-NZI and related PC threats from spreading to computers that are associated, either directly or indirectly, with a WIN32:Downloader-NZI-infected PC. Defenses that SpywareRemove.com malware analysts strongly recommend until WIN32:Downloader-NZI is removed include:

Avoiding sharing removable drive devices (CDs, USB thumb drives, etc) with other computers until you've verified that both your PC and the device in question have been disinfected.
Preventing other computers from accessing resources on your PC that are shared on a local network until WIN32:Downloader-NZI's complete removal.
Watching for discrepancies in folder sizes in either of the two locations noted above; even a minor increase in folder contents size that isn't obviously attributable to visible files can be potentially indicative of hidden WIN32:Downloader-NZI files that can install themselves on other computers automatically and undetectably.

WIN32:Downloader-NZI

Threat Metric

WIN32:Downloader-NZI – a PC Threat That Requires a Veritable Bull Rush to Remove

Keeping WIN32:Downloader-NZI from Furthering Its Misdeeds

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