Windows Net Proxy Auto Service Not A Windows Service But A Harmful Adware.
What is windows net proxy auto service?
Windows net proxy auto service or WinNetSvc is a Potentially unwanted Program (PuP) that is categorized as an adware. This threat infiltrates the system silently and changes the web browser settings. It then creates a service that communicates with remote servers. These servers contain all the user information that windows net proxy auto service has transmitted from your PC to the hackers.
It gets installed on the system through adware bundles that the user downloads from third party sites. This virus is bundled as useful software for the user. Software should be installed only after carefully checking all the installation steps. You should never rush through the steps during installation. Otherwise your system might fall prey to these viruses.
Windows net proxy auto service -Threat Behavior
Windows net proxy auto service installs a windows service that transmits user information to a remote server. This information can contain vital and sensitive data containing usernames, passwords, banking details, credit and debit card details, address, sites visited by the user, purchasing capacity etc. It can contain technical information about the system such as system IP, Operating System installed on the system, web browsers used, etc.
Windows net proxy auto service is known to lower the web browser settings. It does this to avoid anti-virus detection and continue its malicious activities. It then displays pop-up and banner ads in the web browser when the user is surfing the internet. This becomes annoying for the user because all the ads hinder the browsing experience. It also displays links that lead the user to unsecured websites that can download more threats on the system.
WinNetSvc.exe promotes itself as a windows service but in reality it is a browser hijacker that can slow down the system by using the system memory for its bad intents. This makes the other software unresponsive and cause the system to freeze and lag. The frequent system crashes can cause problems with the hardware.
How did Windows Net Proxy Auto Service get installed on your system?
The cybercriminals use various strategies for malware distribution which include –
- Software Bundling: Software bundling is the process in which a malicious program is distributed with other free software, to get an unnoticed entry into your computer system. When a user installs a free application, the malicious programs gains a front door entry with the free application, the user has downloaded. Thus, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the installation screens while installing these free applications.
- Infected Storage Devices: Your system can also get infected by using removable media such as USB hard drives and jump drives without scanning them with an anti-virus.
- Spam Emails – Spamming is the most economic and common method used for the distribution of such malware. The targeted users get genuine looking emails which contain .doc, .txt, and other similar attachments. These attachments can be named as anything which can grab the user’s attention and triggers him/her to open the attachment. As soon as the user opens this attachment, the malware infects the user’s computer system.
- Malicious Websites or Malevolent Advertisements: The malicious websites are the ones which are created just for promoting the malware infections. Such websites include but are not limited to porn sites, torrent sites and other free downloading platforms. By visiting such websites, the adware infects the user’s computer without permission. Fake advertisements and updates like Flash player and windows updates which ask the user to update to the latest version are a few examples. When the users click on such links, their computer system gets infected. That is why, it is highly recommended to resist clicking on such links. Also avoid clicking on advertisements offering free stuff such as Win an iPhones, cars or free overseas trips etc.
Threat summary
Name – Windows Net Proxy Auto Service or WinNetScv.exe
Category – Potentially unwanted Program (PuP), Adware, Browser hijacker
Browsers affected – Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer
Targeted Operating Systems – Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows, 8.0/8.1, Windows 10
How to remove windows net proxy auto service from your system?
It is crucial to delete windows net proxy auto service from your system because it can transmit user data to hackers. These hackers can use this data to extort money from the victim. If you don’t delete this adware from the system then you are leaving your system prone to more attacks from harmful malware.
Use our virus removal guide to remove windows net proxy auto service from your system. Remember to follow the steps in order to leave any traces of this adware on the system. The process to remove this adware is complex and you should not attempt to remove it without following these steps.
STEP A – Remove Windows net Proxy auto service From the Control Panel.
Note: Before we begin, try to remember how the extension got downloaded on your computer system. Generally, these programs come bundled with free applications that we download off the internet. It is a good practice to locate and uninstall such programs while removing the Browser Hijacker/ Extensions.
Windows XP
- Click on the “Start” button on the bottom left corner of your screen. A Start menu will be displayed as shown below. From this menu select the option that reads “Control Panel”.
- In the window that will be displayed, click the option “Switch to classic view”.
- This will display all the options/icons available to you. From the displayed icons, click on the icon that reads “Add or Remove Programs”.
- Select the “Uninstall a program” option from the “Programs” category. A list will populate on the screen displaying all the programs.
- Select the programs related to Windows net proxy auto service and click on the Uninstall button.
Windows 7/Vista
- Right click on the “Start” button located at the lower left corner of the screen. From the Start menu, click on “Control Panel”.
- The “Control Panel” Window will be displayed on the screen. Click on “Uninstall a Program” option from the “Programs” category.
- The “Programs and Features” window will be displayed on the screen. A list will populate on the screen displaying all the programs.
- Scroll though the list of programs and select the programs related to Windows net proxy auto service and then click on the “Uninstall” button.
Windows 8/10
- Right click on the “Windows logo” on the lower left side of the computer screen. From the drop down menu, select and click on “Control Panel”.
- The “Control Panel” window will be displayed. From this window select “Uninstall a program” option form the “Programs” category.
- A list will populate on the screen displaying all the programs.
- Select the programs related to Windows net proxy auto service and click on the “Uninstall” button.
- In the confirmation box, click on the box that reads “OK” to save changes.
STEP B – Remove the browser extensions Installed By Windows Net Proxy Auto Service.
Remove malicious extensions from your browser
Google Chrome
- Open Google Chrome and click on the three vertical dots (
) i.e.Menu option which are located at the upper right corner of the Chrome Window.
- Find and click on More tools from the drop down menu that is displayed & select Extensions or you can open a Chrome window and type “chrome://extensions” in the address bar.
- Check the developer mode option which is located opposite to extensions heading on the top of the Chrome window. By enabling the developer mode, additional details and option related to all the installed extensions will be displayed. One of the details that will be displayed is the ID. ID is the folder name created by the extension at the location “C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions”.
- Locate the extension you want to uninstall or delete. Copy and paste the folder name opposite to the ID Tag of that extension into a notepad file. In this case the folder name is “Windows net proxy auto service”
- Now, uncheck the enabled option next to the extension in question. Make sure you also click the trash icon to delete the extension from the browser. It is important to note that even after uninstalling and deleting the extensions from the browser, the extension might not uninstall properly. Thus, it is a good practice to make sure that we have deleted the folder as mentioned in step 3.
- Make sure that you have made the hidden files and folders visible.
- Open My Computer and go to “C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions”. Now, look for folder with the name as specified in Step 4 i.e. “Windows net proxy auto service”. Delete the folder if present.
- Close and reopen the browser. It is also advisable to restart your computer once done.
Mozilla Firefox
- Open Mozilla Firefox, click on three horizontal lines (
) at the top right corner of the Firefox Window and select the Add-ons option.
- On the Add-ons manger page, select and click on the Extensions tab as shown below.
- Find the extensions related to Windows net proxy auto service and click on the remove button.
- In addition, try to remember how the extension got downloaded on your computer system. If this extension was bundled with some other software, then make sure to delete that as well.
Internet Explorer
Apple's Safari
- On your Mac Desktop, click on the option that reads “Safari”.
- A drop down menu will appear as shown below. From this menu chose the option that reads “Preferences”.
- The Preferences window will appear on the screen, where the list of all your safari extensions will be shown.
- On the list displayed at the left side of the screen, select the Extension you want to uninstall.
- Click on the Uninstall button to get rid of the extension.
STEP C – Remove the windows net proxy auto service adware from the system services.
- Type “Msconfig” in search box / Run Box, select it and press Enter.
- Click on “Services” Tab and click on “Hide all Microsoft services”.
- Select Windows net proxy auto service from the list of remaining services and disable it by removing the tick mark from the checkbox and click on Apply button.
Windows 7
- Click on the next tab – “Startup”.
- Find any blank or suspicious entry or the entry with Windows net proxy auto service mentioned and remove the check mark.
- Click on Apply button and then click on OK.
Windows 10
- Click on the next tab – “Startup”.
- Take the mouse cursor to ‘Open task Manager‘ link and click on it. This opens the Task Manager window.
- Find any blank or suspicious entry or the entry with Windows net proxy auto service mentioned and click on it.
- Then click on Disable button.
STEP D – Remove the windows net proxy auto service adware from the registry key.
- Type “Regedit” in search box / Run Box, select it and press Enter.
- An authorization dialog box will appear, then you just have to click “Yes”. (The dialog box appearance may vary depending on OS used. For Windows 10 the the dialog box looks like the first screenshot and for windows 7 it appears like the second screenshot)
- In the registry editor, take the backup of the current registry settings before making any changes in case you want to revert to old settings later. For this, Click on File option in the menu and select Export. Save the entry at a known location.
- From the Menu, Click Edit and Select Find.
- Enter Windows net proxy auto service and click Ok in the search box.
- Select and delete suspicious enteries.
STEP E – Restore the system files and settings using System Restore.
Restore your system files and settings
Tips to prevent your computer system from getting infected –
- Keeping the Operating System Updated- In order to remain protected and avoid such infections, it is recommended to keep your Operating System updated by enabling the automatic update on your system. The systems with outdated or older versions of Operating System become an easy target for the attackers.
- Resist clicking on spam emails – One of the major techniques used for malware distribution is forwarding spam emails to the user. The system gets infected as soon as the user clicks on the attachment. These mails appear to be genuine, so be aware and resist falling for these tricks.
- Keep an eye on third party installations- It is quite important that you take due care while installing any third party applications for they are major source of such infections. Such malware programs come bundled with the free applications thereby requiring the user to remain cautious.
- Regular periodical backup- In order to keep your data and files safe, it is recommended to take regular back up of all your data and files either on an external drive or cloud.
- Use Anti-Virus Protection- We strongly recommend the use of antivirus protection/internet security in your PC like Bull guard and Hitman Pro so that it remains safe.
- Enable the Ad Blocker/Popup Blocker in your browser- Enabling the popup blocker/ ad blocker in your chosen browser will help you to stay protected from annoying adware.
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) which is at the top right corner of the Internet Explorer Window.
