Wcs.exe: Virus or Valid

If you see the wcs.exe process running on your system, you should double check the validity of the file. If you have Ulead PhotoImpact on your system, then executable wcs.exe is most likely a legitimate file of the application.

However, if you have never used or installed any Ulead software, the wcs.exe file is quite likely a malware. Wcs.exe has been identified to be a variant of Adware/Netproject malware. The rogue wcs.exe file is often downloaded through rogue anti-spyware programs and fake codecs.

The malicious wcs.exe file is usually added to following locations:

• %ProgramFiles%\applications\wcs.exe
• %ProgramFiles%\web technologies\wcs.exe
• %Temp%\wcs.exe
• %Temp%\web technologies\wcs.exe

Here, %ProgramFiles% refers to the program files folder and %Temp% refers to temporary folder on your system.

The malicious process is also known to add the following registry entries that enable the process to load at system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run

How to Get Rid of Wcs.exe Malware

If you have verified the wsc.exe file running to be rogue, you should remove the file immediately. Malware can pose a serious threat to your PC’s health, your data and your personal information. You may use one of the following methods to remove the malicious process from your PC:

Method 1: Steps to Manually Remove the Malicious File on Windows XP

1. Open the Start menu and click Search.
2. In the Search Results window, select All files and folders.
3. Type wcs.exe in the All or part of the file name box.
4. Select My Computer in the Look in: list and then click Search
5. Note the path of the files displayed in the results.
6. Now, open Task Manager by clicking Ctrl + Alt + Del or Ctrl + Shift + Esc key combination.
7. On the Processes tab, search for wcs.exe, select it, and then click End Process.
8. Next, open the Start menu, select Run, type cmd and then press Enter to display the Command Prompt window.
9. At command prompt, use the cd command to move to the folder in which you found the wcs.exe file. For example, you may type cd C:\Program Files\web technologies and press Enter to move to this folder.
10. Next, type del wcs.exe and press Enter to completely remove the file from the PC.
11. It is recommended that you completely remove the malware folder from the PC. To do this, you may use the rmdir command. For example, use the rmdir /S C:\Program Files\web technologies and press Enter to remove the folder from the PC.

Method 2: Steps to Manually Remove Wcs.exe When It is Part of the Zlob Trojan

To manually remove the malicious program in this case, navigate to folders listed below and then use shift + del to completely remove the listed files from the PC.

* [%PROGRAM_FILES%]\Applications\wcs.exe
* [%FAVORITES%]\Search Online.url
* [%STARTMENU%]\Search Online.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\VIP Casino.url
* [%STARTMENU%]\VIP Casino.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\Cheap Pharmacy Online.url
* [%STARTMENU%]\Cheap Pharmacy Online.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\SMS TRAP.url
* [%STARTMENU%]\SMS TRAP.url
* [%STARTMENU%]\Cheap Software.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\Cheap Software.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\MP3 Download.url
* [%STARTMENU%]\MP3 Download.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\Error Cleaner.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\Privacy Protector.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\Spyware&Malware Protection.url
* [%FAVORITES%]\Antivirus Scan.url
* [%PROGRAM_FILES%]\codec_setup.exe
* [%SYSTEM%]\blastclnnn.exe

Method 3: Use Antivirus and Antispyware tools to Remove the Malware

Manual removal is quite complex, tedious and prone to errors. This is the reason why it is recommended that you run a thorough full system antivirus and antispyware scan to detect wcs.exe and other malware from your PC.

To ensure that the malware clean up is more effective, it is recommended that you use good registry tool, such as RegGenie to scan and remove any malicious entry added to it.