CCleaner Malware Hack/Malicious Version - Virus Removal Guide

Please follow the steps below to stay safe from the new CCleaner Malware - Malicious Version.

For those of you who don’t know, Piriform’s CCleaner, world’s most popular PC cleaner and optimization tool has been compromised. The official signed version of CCleaner 5.33 was weaponized by a malicious group and run by more than 2million users. 

Even though the malware did not actively harm the systems, it did collect and report encrypted information about the systems. According to Piriform, among the data collected was the name of the computer, a list of installed software packages; a list of running processes and MAC addresses of multiple network adapters set up on the system. 

Thankfully, not all users of CCleaner, were affected. Basically, it depends on the version of the application you’re running or have run in the past. To check which version you have, turn of your internet connection, open CCleaner, and look in the upper-left corner. If it says (64-bit) after the version number, you’re safe, easy as that. If it doesn’t, however, there’s more to it. Check the version number, if it is older than 5.33.6162, you’re safe. If it is 5.33.6162 you are running a weaponized version of the software. If it is newer, like in this example, you’re currently safe, but you could have been running the hacked version in the past. It depends on whether or not the version was ever present on your PC. 

So, what should you do in case you were running a malicious version? Experts recommend restoring your system to a backup before August 15th, 2017, if possible; and, of course, updating to the newest version of CCleaner from it’s official website.
Run an security scan on your system or visit https://www.anti-virus4u.com/Free-Download-Trial-s/17.htm and download security software to ensure no malware is left installed.