We're gradually updating threat actor names in our reports to align with the new weather-themed taxonomy. Learn about Microsoft threat actor names
HackTool:Win32/Keygen
Aliases: Troj/Keygen (Sophos) Crack (VirusBuster) not-a-virus:Keygen (Kaspersky) CRCK_KEYGEN (Trend Micro)
Summary
Windows Defender detects and removes this threat.
This tool generates software keys.
Malware is often installed along with this tool. Microsoft security software finds malware on more than half of the PCs where we detect this tool.
You can read more about Win32/Keygen in Volume 13 of the Security Intelligence Report.
Use the following free Microsoft software to detect and remove this threat:
- Microsoft Defender Antivirus for Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, or Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows 7 and Windows Vista
- Microsoft Safety Scanner
You should also run a full scan. A full scan might find hidden malware.
Get more help
You can also see our advanced troubleshooting page for more help.
If you’re using Windows XP, see our Windows XP end of support page.