Shortcut Virus

This is a very prone malware and probably everyone has experienced it at least once, from cyber cafes, the movie Guy or from that friend who has always infected USBs dongles.

USB-borne malware is extremely common, and most malware that propagates via USB and other removable drives traditionally has taken advantage of the Windows

Autorun or Autoplay feature.

This strain of malware leveraged a vulnerability in the method Windows uses for handling shortcut files. Normally this are links to the mother file and for them to execute a user has to click but for the malicious files the shortcut executes automatically. Basically you just have to open an infected USB and pap the malicious code infects your machine.

Types of shortcuts 

There are of two types:

• FILE AND FOLDER SHORTCUT VIRUS
• FLASH DRIVE SHORTCUT VIRUS

FILE AND FOLDER SHORTCUT VIRUS

This affects files in your computer. It replicates all files and folders in your computer and creates a shortcut to all these folders and hides the original ones. This leaves the user with no option but to click on the shortcut to access the information. 

Worst case scenario is the fact that this malware may be creating a backdoor or collecting information from the machine and sending it to the attacker.

FLASH DRIVE SHORTCUT VIRUS

This baby is a Trojan that infects USB dongles and external hard drives. All files on the USB stick are consolidated in one big shortcut that is displayed on the dongle. 

Once again you have to click on the shortcut to access your files. Who knows what happens after the click.

Keeping your safe

As usual step one is to install an antivirus and make sure it’s updated. Many will ask which the best is. Best answer buy any from Kaspersky, quick heal, bit-defender, AVG, etc. they all basically by now work the same but make sure they are up to date.

Step 2, do not open your Flash Drive via autorun and from My Computer.

Open your Flash Drive and Hard Disk by right-clicking it, then click explore or type its drive letter in the windows address bar to prevent any script from running.

Lastly if you manage to get infected let me show you a quick way to heal your devices.

This involves a “command prompt”. Now click “ start “, “ run “, “type CMD” “type the drive letter of your flash drive or external hard disk and a colon after it “eg F:” Once done type this attribute “ attrib f:*.* /d /s -h -r -s ”. 

You should see your files now and Shortcut Virus must be removed.

Please take note the f: after the attrib , change it with your flash disk drive letter; if your flash drive, drive letter is n: then change it with n:.

There are many tutorial out there on how to resolve this malware I don’t want to add to that list it’s too long already.

As always prevention is better than cure.