How to remove Hide Folders (Virus Removal Guide)
Hide Folders by Vasilisk Limited (searched for as Hide Folders virus) is recognized as a potentially unwanted program (PUP) by antivirus programs. Hide Folders is known to bundle with malware, adware, spyware, and other threats and be advertised by malicious advertising networks that promote the program alongside malicious and deceptive software.
Hide Folders is self-promoted as a software application that enables users to “hide or password protect all the private information on their hard drives.” The developer claims that the program allows users to make files and folders inaccessible, invisible, or protect them from modification or removal. This may sound like a useful utility; however, the software performs tasks that Windows Operating System has included. For example, Windows allows users to hide or make folders invisible and protect them from modification or removal.
There are two versions of the software, a free version called Hide Folders Free and a full version called Hide Folders Pro (or Professional). The free version allows users to hide and unhide folders, although, it does not appear to function properly, and the full version claims to allow users to protect and share folders.
The problem with the two versions is that the program is primarily advertised as free and most users may not be aware that they must pay to use the full version. This is usually considered to be an unethical and deceptive marketing tactic aimed to procure customers.
Furthermore, as previously mentioned, Hide Folders may bundle with or be advertised alongside third-party malware, adware, spyware, and other threats. This is a major concern because it could mean that Hide Folders was installed by or alongside malware that may provide an even higher security risk to user privacy and computer functionality.
When the program is installed, these are symptoms that may occur:
- Pop-up advertisements
- Pop-up notifications
- Hijacked homepage
- Hijacked search provider
- Hijacked new tab page
- Constant browser redirects
- Suspicious browser extensions
- Suspicious programs on PC
- Slower browsing experience
- Slow and sluggish PC
In addition, Hide Folders is new and not much is known about the software. There are not many antivirus vendors that recognize the program as malicious at this current time but that is suspected to change as sample sizes rise.
How to remove Hide Folders
Hide Folders can be uninstalled from Windows Control Panel or Apps and Features like most programs. However, manually uninstalling the program will not remove malware, adware, spyware, viruses, and other threats from an infected computer. In order to remove malware and other threats from an infected computer, we recommend scanning a computer with reputable security software that is known to detect and remove malware and other threats.
How to remove tracking files and repair Windows registry
How to uninstall Hide Folders
1. Right-click the start menu.
2. Go to Apps and Features.
3. Click Hide Folders and click Uninstall.
How to remove malware
1. Download and install Malwarebytes.
2. Once Malwarebytes is installed, click the Scan Now button to begin scanning the computer.
3. When the scan is complete, click the Quarantine Selected button to remove all threats detected by Malwarebytes.
4. Reboot the computer.
5. Once the computer is rebooted, download and install HitmanPro or HitmanPro.Alert to perform a second-opinion scan and remove the remaining malware (if applicable). To download the executable file, fill out the information on their website (name and email address) and click submit.
6. Once HitmanPro is installed, click the Next button to begin scanning the computer.
7. When the scan is complete, click the Next button to remove all threats detected by HitmanPro.
How to remove tracking files and repair Windows registry
1. Download and install CCleaner Free or CCleaner Professional.
2. Once CCleaner is installed, go to the Easy Clean tab.
3. Click the Analyze button to find trackers and junk files that CCleaner can remove.
4. When the analysis is complete, click the Clean All button.
5. Next, go to the Registry tab and click the Scan for Issues button.
6. When the scan is complete, click the Fix selected Issues… button.
7. As a precaution, click Yes to back up the registry before making changes to it and save the Reg File (.reg) file to your computer.
8. Click the Fix All Selected Issues button and then click Close once all problems have been removed.
