Win32/Plead.K
Matthew Alvarez
Updated on March 05, 2026
What is Win32/Plead.K infection?
In this post you will certainly locate about the meaning of Win32/Plead.K and its adverse impact on your computer system. Such ransomware are a form of malware that is specified by online frauds to require paying the ransom money by a victim.
In the majority of the situations, Win32/Plead.K infection will certainly advise its sufferers to initiate funds transfer for the objective of reducing the effects of the amendments that the Trojan infection has presented to the target’s gadget.
Win32/Plead.K Summary
These adjustments can be as follows:
- Executable code extraction. Cybercriminals often use binary packers to hinder the malicious code from reverse-engineered by malware analysts. A packer is a tool that compresses, encrypts, and modifies a malicious file’s format. Sometimes packers can be used for legitimate ends, for example, to protect a program against cracking or copying.
- Attempts to connect to a dead IP:Port (4 unique times);
- Creates RWX memory. There is a security trick with memory regions that allows an attacker to fill a buffer with a shellcode and then execute it. Filling a buffer with shellcode isn’t a big deal, it’s just data. The problem arises when the attacker is able to control the instruction pointer (EIP), usually by corrupting a function’s stack frame using a stack-based buffer overflow, and then changing the flow of execution by assigning this pointer to the address of the shellcode.
- A process attempted to delay the analysis task.;
- Performs some HTTP requests;
- Unconventionial language used in binary resources: Chinese (Traditional);
- The binary likely contains encrypted or compressed data. In this case, encryption is a way of hiding virus’ code from antiviruses and virus’ analysts.
- Mimics the file times of a Windows system file;
- Installs itself for autorun at Windows startup. There is simple tactic using the Windows startup folder located at:
C:\Users\[user-name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\StartMenu\Programs\Startup. Shortcut links (.lnk extension) placed in this folder will cause Windows to launch the application each time [user-name] logs into Windows.The registry run keys perform the same action, and can be located in different locations:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- Creates a hidden or system file. The malware adds the hidden attribute to every file and folder on your system, so it appears as if everything has been deleted from your hard drive.
- Creates a copy of itself;
- Ciphering the papers situated on the target’s disk drive — so the target can no more make use of the information;
- Preventing routine access to the victim’s workstation. This is the typical behavior of a virus called locker. It blocks access to the computer until the victim pays the ransom.
| z.whorecord.xyz | Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Foreign.nnnj |
| office.dns04.com | Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Foreign.nnnj |
| a.tomx.xyz | Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Foreign.nnnj |
| apk36501.flnet.org | Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Foreign.nnnj |
| ww1.flnet.org | Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Foreign.nnnj |
Win32/Plead.K
The most typical networks through which Win32/Plead.K are infused are:
- By methods of phishing emails;
- As a repercussion of customer winding up on a source that organizes a malicious software;
As soon as the Trojan is effectively infused, it will certainly either cipher the data on the target’s PC or prevent the tool from functioning in a correct way – while also positioning a ransom money note that states the need for the sufferers to effect the payment for the purpose of decrypting the records or recovering the file system back to the initial condition. In a lot of circumstances, the ransom money note will certainly turn up when the client restarts the COMPUTER after the system has actually currently been harmed.
Win32/Plead.K circulation channels.
In various edges of the world, Win32/Plead.K expands by jumps and bounds. Nonetheless, the ransom money notes and methods of obtaining the ransom money amount may vary depending upon particular regional (local) setups. The ransom money notes as well as methods of extorting the ransom money amount might differ depending on certain neighborhood (regional) settings.
For example:
Faulty notifies about unlicensed software.
In particular locations, the Trojans frequently wrongfully report having actually identified some unlicensed applications made it possible for on the target’s tool. The alert then demands the customer to pay the ransom money.
Faulty statements regarding unlawful content.
In countries where software program piracy is much less popular, this approach is not as reliable for the cyber scams. Additionally, the Win32/Plead.K popup alert might incorrectly assert to be originating from a police establishment and will certainly report having located kid porn or various other illegal data on the gadget.
Win32/Plead.K popup alert might wrongly assert to be deriving from a regulation enforcement establishment as well as will certainly report having situated kid porn or various other prohibited data on the device. The alert will in a similar way include a requirement for the user to pay the ransom money.
Technical details
File Info:
crc32: F93F6331md5: c9938a32831328c9f2d6b3033f4526a7name: C9938A32831328C9F2D6B3033F4526A7.mlwsha1: 6ec449c87bffd81e5561502db4ba2f8f8c521dd2sha256: bbbcce847097e4ddb59d15076f8aa86f51064a5a4a93858e67dec971bd36d007sha512: 3385283731786e4c4856fc823ebae856c42bada2673fb187e1c3e86982fcc7d2162d673afa0b0226b64e430501ffb061d9945f414e9ad28f575bbbc9d998de7fssdeep: 6144:Fyanzt43MBABORTl1zotgUj2V/Ry+++hxg8VAJt:FyanJ48BABqR62VJy+++hpV0type: PE32 executable (GUI) Intel 80386, for MS WindowsVersion Info:
0: [No Data]
Win32/Plead.K also known as:
| GridinSoft | Trojan.Ransom.Gen |
| K7AntiVirus | Trojan ( 005127921 ) |
| Elastic | malicious (high confidence) |
| ALYac | Gen:Variant.Barys.58049 |
| Cylance | Unsafe |
| Zillya | Trojan.Foreign.Win32.56502 |
| Sangfor | Trojan.Win32.Foreign.usrg |
| CrowdStrike | win/malicious_confidence_100% (W) |
| Alibaba | Trojan:Win32/Starter.ali2000005 |
| K7GW | Trojan ( 005127921 ) |
| Cybereason | malicious.283132 |
| Symantec | ML.Attribute.HighConfidence |
| ESET-NOD32 | a variant of Win32/Plead.K |
| APEX | Malicious |
| Avast | Win32:Malware-gen |
| Kaspersky | Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Foreign.nnnj |
| BitDefender | Gen:Variant.Barys.58049 |
| NANO-Antivirus | Trojan.Win32.Harmony.erbhlf |
| MicroWorld-eScan | Gen:Variant.Barys.58049 |
| Tencent | Win32.Trojan.Foreign.Taet |
| Ad-Aware | Gen:Variant.Barys.58049 |
| Sophos | Mal/Generic-S |
| Comodo | Malware@#201h0xyn339at |
| BitDefenderTheta | Gen:NN.ZexaF.34686.zqW@a8@5Omhn |
| VIPRE | Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT |
| TrendMicro | BKDR_PLEAD.ZAEH-A |
| McAfee-GW-Edition | Trojan-FPCJ!C9938A328313 |
| FireEye | Gen:Variant.Barys.58049 |
| Emsisoft | Gen:Variant.Barys.58049 (B) |
| Microsoft | Trojan:Win32/Harmony.A!dha |
| AegisLab | Trojan.Win32.Foreign.j!c |
| ZoneAlarm | Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Foreign.nnnj |
| GData | Gen:Variant.Barys.58049 |
| McAfee | Trojan-FPCJ!C9938A328313 |
| MAX | malware (ai score=99) |
| VBA32 | TrojanRansom.Foreign |
| Panda | Trj/CI.A |
| TrendMicro-HouseCall | BKDR_PLEAD.ZAEH-A |
| Rising | (CLOUD) |
| Yandex | Trojan.Foreign!ZTrOmggBxxY |
| Fortinet | Generik.FSYKPXU!tr |
| AVG | Win32:Malware-gen |
| Paloalto | generic.ml |
How to remove Win32/Plead.K ransomware?
There is no better way to recognize, remove and prevent PC threats than to use an anti-malware software from GridinSoft">2.
Download GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
You can download GridinSoft Anti-Malware by clicking the button below:
Download GridinSoft Anti-MalwareRun the setup file.
When setup file has finished downloading, double-click on the setup-antimalware-fix.exe file to install GridinSoft Anti-Malware on your system.
An User Account Control asking you about to allow GridinSoft Anti-Malware to make changes to your device. So, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
Press “Install” button.
Once installed, Anti-Malware will automatically run.
Wait for the Anti-Malware scan to complete.
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will automatically start scanning your system for Win32/Plead.K files and other malicious programs. This process can take a 20-30 minutes, so I suggest you periodically check on the status of the scan process.
Click on “Clean Now”.
When the scan has finished, you will see the list of infections that GridinSoft Anti-Malware has detected. To remove them click on the “Clean Now” button in right corner.
Are Your Protected?
GridinSoft Anti-Malware will scan and clean your PC for free in the trial period. The free version offer real-time protection for first 2 days. If you want to be fully protected at all times – I can recommended you to purchase a full version:
Full version of GridinSoft Anti-Malware
If the guide doesn’t help you to remove Win32/Plead.K you can always ask me in the comments for getting help.
References
- GridinSoft Anti-Malware Review from HowToFix site:
- More information about GridinSoft products:
