How to Get Rid of TrustedInstaller (Malware)

What is TrustedInstaller? And how does it function?

TrustedInstaller is a malware that hides under the guise of a legitimate built-in Windows user account. This malware can significantly decrease the infected PC’s performance. What’s worse is that it could even help unwanted programs and other malware to infiltrate the system. And since it imitates a legitimate Windows process, it’s hard for antivirus programs to detect this malware and get rid of it so you have to manually locate this malware’s process in the Task Manager.
The easiest way to identify the malicious program is to check its CPU usage. As you can see on the screenshot above, Trustedinstaller uses a high amount of CPU resources which indicates that your system might be at risk. And as it takes its toll on the affected PC, you will notice a drastic slowdown of your PC’s overall performance as programs loads longer than usual and they tend to continually crash at some point. Aside from that, this malware is also capable of collecting personally identifiable information which puts your security and privacy at risk. Such information may include email addresses, names, or even credentials. This kind of activity happens when you submit login credentials in a fake pop-up window. The information could be used for identity theft and other malevolent purposes. In addition, TrustedInstaller could also let other cyber threats inside the system via backdoors so you must get rid of this malware as soon as possible before things got out of hand.
How does TrustedInstaller spread online?
Based on the reports of DieViren.de experts, malicious programs like TrustedInstaller can enter the system through spam emails that contain infected attachment. Usually, these emails are disguised as receipts or invoices from well-known companies or other groups to trick users into opening the email and downloading its attachment without knowing that by doing so, a malware is installed in the system.
As you can tell, TrustedInstaller, just like the others, is a program that steals and exploits your computer’s resources as well as your electricity so it can profit from them. In order to get rid of this Trojan, carefully follow the removal guide below to get rid of TrustedInstaller.
Step 1: Open your Task Manager by tapping Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard.

Step 2: Once the Task Manager is opened, go to the Processes tab and locate the process that consumes a high amount of CPU resources and is named as TrustedInstaller.exe process and end it.

Step 3: Close the Task Manager and open Control Panel by pressing the Windows key + R, then type in appwiz.cpl and then tap Enter or click OK.
Step 4: Look for any suspicious programs that might be related to TrustedInstaller and then uninstall it.

Step 5: Close Control Panel and then tap the Win + E keys to open File Explorer.
Step 6: Navigate to the following locations.

%HOMEDRIVE%\Applications\
%WINDIR%\Tasks
%WINDIR%\System32\Tasks
%USERPROFILE%\Downloads
%USERPROFILE%\Desktop
%TEMP%

Step 7: Look for the malicious files created by TrustedInstaller such as TrustedInstaller.exe as well as other malicious files that could be associated with TrustedInstaller Trojan miner.
Step 8: Close the File Explorer.
The next step below is not recommended for you if you don’t know how to navigate the Registry Editor. Making registry changes can highly impact your computer. So it is highly advised to use PC Cleaner Pro instead to get rid of the entries that the PUP created. Unlike TrustedInstaller, PC Cleaner Pro is a trusted program that helps in improving your computer’s overall performance by repairing any registry issues as well as optimizes your system. If you are not familiar with the Windows Registry skip to Step 14 onwards. However, if you are well-versed in making registry adjustments, then you can proceed to step 10.
Step 9: Open the Registry Editor, to do so, tap Win + R and type in regedit and then press enter.

Step 10: Go to the following locations and look for the registry keys and sub-keys created by TrustedInstaller.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TrustedInstaller.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\TrustedInstaller.exe

Step 12: Close the Registry Editor and empty your Recycle Bin.
Once you got rid of TrustedInstaller from your PC, follow the advanced guide below to completely get rid of the files it has created.
Perform a full system scan using SpyRemover Pro. To do so, follow these steps:

Turn on your computer. If it’s already on, you have to reboot
After that, the BIOS screen will be displayed, but if Windows pops up instead, reboot your computer and try again. Once you’re on the BIOS screen, repeat pressing F8, by doing so the Advanced Option shows up.

To navigate the Advanced Option use the arrow keys and select Safe Mode with Networking then hit
Windows will now load the SafeMode with Networking.
Press and hold both R key and Windows key.

If done correctly, the Windows Run Box will show up.
Type in explorer http://www.fixmypcfree.com/install/spyremoverpro

A single space must be in between explorer and http. Click OK.

A dialog box will be displayed by Internet Explorer. Click Run to begin downloading the program. The installation will start automatically once a download is done.