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The Daily Insight

DownWare (PUA)

Author

Emily Beck

Updated on March 06, 2026

DownWare (PUA) detection is a virus detection you can spectate in your system. It frequently shows up after the preliminary activities on your computer – opening the dubious e-mail messages, clicking the advertisement in the Web or mounting the program from unreliable sources. From the second it shows up, you have a short time to take action until it begins its malicious activity. And be sure – it is better not to wait for these harmful actions.

What is DownWare (PUA) virus?

DownWare (PUA) is ransomware-type malware. It looks for the files on your disk drive, encrypts it, and after that asks you to pay the ransom for getting the decryption key. Besides making your files locked, this virus additionally does a ton of harm to your system. It changes the networking setups in order to prevent you from checking out the elimination manuals or downloading the antivirus. In some cases, DownWare (PUA) can additionally block the launching of anti-malware programs.

DownWare (PUA) Summary

In summary, DownWare (PUA) ransomware actions in the infected computer are next:

  • Behavioural detection: Executable code extraction – unpacking;
  • SetUnhandledExceptionFilter detected (possible anti-debug);
  • Presents an Authenticode digital signature;
  • Creates RWX memory;
  • Anomalous file deletion behavior detected (10+);
  • Dynamic (imported) function loading detected;
  • Reads data out of its own binary image;
  • Drops a binary and executes it;
  • The binary contains an unknown PE section name indicative of packing;
  • Authenticode signature is invalid;
  • Ciphering the documents located on the victim’s disk drive — so the victim cannot use these documents;
  • Blocking the launching of .exe files of anti-virus programs
  • Blocking the launching of installation files of anti-virus apps

Ransomware has been a headache for the last 4 years. It is hard to imagine a more hazardous malware for both individuals and businesses. The algorithms used in DownWare (PUA) (typically, RHA-1028 or AES-256) are not hackable – with minor exclusions. To hack it with a brute force, you need to have more time than our galaxy currently exists, and possibly will exist. However, that malware does not do all these unpleasant things immediately – it may take up to several hours to cipher all of your documents. Therefore, seeing the DownWare (PUA) detection is a clear signal that you need to start the clearing process.

Where did I get the DownWare (PUA)?

Ordinary methods of DownWare (PUA) spreading are typical for all other ransomware examples. Those are one-day landing websites where users are offered to download the free program, so-called bait e-mails and hacktools. Bait emails are a relatively new method in malware spreading – you receive the email that imitates some routine notifications about deliveries or bank service conditions changes. Within the email, there is a corrupted MS Office file, or a web link which opens the exploit landing page.

Malicious email spam

Malicious email message. This one tricks you to open the phishing website.

Avoiding it looks quite easy, but still requires a lot of awareness. Malware can hide in various places, and it is far better to stop it even before it invades your computer than to rely upon an anti-malware program. Essential cybersecurity awareness is just an important thing in the modern world, even if your relationship with a computer stays on YouTube videos. That may save you a great deal of money and time which you would spend while trying to find a solution.

DownWare (PUA) malware technical details

File Info:

name: D69E5AC14092F18523AA.mlwpath: /opt/CAPEv2/storage/binaries/35cdc9693edc878c027b60c7556446efb5beb69737fcd078bdec904221636a67crc32: 6046741Amd5: d69e5ac14092f18523aac5c4fc7a63e7sha1: 9fedfb8cb86c971f3ac6c0f84ed4aecffbf8e4ffsha256: 35cdc9693edc878c027b60c7556446efb5beb69737fcd078bdec904221636a67sha512: a036145ec0bbf65a0275e12b2704e9f4cf19ab9776567e338b16147b6deeb1b3be32a20b8fb8a8e2fd22b991c9f59ff8ad05813f0883aef757f64bd41df09954ssdeep: 196608:mwHlaMGGEV95igDII2NNo/YyahRBoVgqWmXuF+NETqCIBpBtz:tlfgDIIONhFRBo1TXe+8WBpBltype: PE32 executable (GUI) Intel 80386, for MS Windowstlsh: T1F1B62321B7D28031E133463558F59661AD7EFCB11AF2466B6FB8CB0D0A746C26B35B23sha3_384: fe7a828836a0a6c42aa94757d1b0483fc10d023242c56c5d8adbaa2fef2866a7f22baa18806cab9bca3b7de0abe844b8ep_bytes: 558bec83c4a453565733c08945c48945timestamp: 2018-06-14 13:27:46

Version Info:

Comments: This installation was built with Inno Setup.CompanyName: FileDescription: AnyDesk Setup (r2107110000) FileVersion: 6.1 LegalCopyright: ProductName: AnyDesk ProductVersion: 6.1 Translation: 0x0000 0x04b0

DownWare (PUA) also known as:

LionicTrojan.Win32.Generic.4!c
Elasticmalicious (high confidence)
DrWebAdware.Downware.19789
FireEyeGeneric.mg.d69e5ac14092f185
CylanceUnsafe
SangforTrojan.Win32.Save.a
K7AntiVirusAdware ( 0057021e1 )
K7GWAdware ( 0057021e1 )
CrowdStrikewin/malicious_confidence_60% (D)
SymantecRansom.Hermes!gen2
ESET-NOD32a variant of Win32/Yandex.K potentially unwanted
Paloaltogeneric.ml
NANO-AntivirusRiskware.Win32.Yandex.ixwwac
AvastFileRepMalware [PUP]
VIPRETrojan.Win32.Generic!BT
McAfee-GW-EditionArtemis!PUP
SophosDownWare (PUA)
AviraHEUR/AGEN.1206239
MicrosoftRansom:Win32/Hermes
CynetMalicious (score: 99)
McAfeeArtemis!D69E5AC14092
VBA32Adware.Downware
MalwarebytesPUP.Optional.BundleInstaller
SentinelOneStatic AI – Suspicious PE
AVGFileRepMalware [PUP]

How to remove DownWare (PUA)?

DownWare (PUA) malware is incredibly hard to erase by hand. It puts its data in numerous places throughout the disk, and can recover itself from one of the elements. In addition, a number of alterations in the windows registry, networking configurations and also Group Policies are really hard to locate and return to the original. It is better to utilize a specific tool – exactly, an anti-malware tool. GridinSoft Anti-Malware will fit the most ideal for malware elimination goals.

Why GridinSoft Anti-Malware? It is really lightweight and has its databases updated nearly every hour. Furthermore, it does not have such problems and weakness as Microsoft Defender does. The combination of these aspects makes GridinSoft Anti-Malware suitable for taking out malware of any kind.

Download GridinSoft Anti-Malware

Remove the viruses with GridinSoft Anti-Malware

  • Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware. After the installation, you will be offered to perform the Standard Scan. Approve this action.
  • Gridinsoft Anti-Malware during the scan process
  • Standard scan checks the logical disk where the system files are stored, together with the files of programs you have already installed. The scan lasts up to 6 minutes.
  • GridinSoft Anti-Malware scan results
  • When the scan is over, you may choose the action for each detected virus. For all files of [SHORT_NAME] the default option is “Delete”. Press “Apply” to finish the malware removal.
  • GridinSoft Anti-Malware - After Cleaning