How to Remove MSBot
MSBot is a Backdoor. A Backdoor
is a means by which a remote, unknown user can secretly
access and influence your computer.
Legitimate backdoors,
created by computer programmers, can give the programmers a
way in to a computer to fix problems. However, unauthorized
backdoors can be used by hackers to take control of your
computer from a remote location, access information or
disrupt your computer’s performance. If you locate MSBot on
your computer, you will likely wish to remove it.
If you find this Backdoor and elect to remove it, it is
advisable to either consult a computer professional or else
utilize a spyware removal program that targets MSBot.
It is not advisable to
attempt the manual deletion of this program unless you are a
computer expert and proficient at manually removing programs
from a computer. Even then, a manual deletion attempt is at
your own risk because manual deletion of programs can lead to
unexpected results and the accidental deletion of the wrong
file can cause computer instability. Therefore, if you are
determined to delete MSBot manually, it is imperative that you
create a backup or System Restore point before proceeding.
To create a System Restore point on a computer that is
running Windows XP, got to the Start menu and select
Control Panel, then click on Performance and Maintenance.
On the left side of the
window, the option will appear at the left side of the window.
Clicking on this will take you to the System Restore window
where you can follow prompts to quickly and easily create a
new System Restore point. No manual deletion should be
attempted until this has been finished.
Additionally, in manually deleting any program, it is
necessary to make absolutely certain that every item deleted
is related to the unwanted program. If you are uncertain
whether to delete an item, consult a computer professional
before proceeding.
Before deleting the Backdoor, the processes associated with
the Backdoor should be ended. This can be done by going to the
Task Manager, clicking on the related processes and then
clicking End Task. The processes believed to be related to
MSBot include:
backdoor.msbot.b.exe
msstat32.exe
Additionally, to prevent the Backdoor from being exploited
before MSBot has been successfully deleted, it is a good idea
to prevent your computer from accessing the internet until you
have made certain that MSBot has been removed.
Then, the following files should be deleted:
backdoor.msbot.b.exe
msstat32.exe
Then the following registry value should be deleted:
msstat32
After this manual deletion has been completed, you should
restart your computer and pull up the Task Manager to verify
that the MSBot processes are no longer running on your
computer. If the manual deletion attempt has not successfully
removed MSBot from your system, or if you have reason to
believe that the manual deletion attempt has caused computer
instability or some other negative consequence, use your
backup or System Restore point, and either use a spyware
removal software to remove MSBot, or else consult a computer
professional about the removal.
