Remove HackTool:Win32/Keygen
HackTool:Win32/Keygen is a detection name Microsoft Defender uses when it detects keygen types of programs on the computer. Microsoft Defender is the built-in antivirus program that is present on all computers running Windows. When users download keygen programs on a computer, Defender detects them as threats, not necessarily because they’re malicious. Keygen programs generate product license keys that are necessary in order to activate certain programs, usually ones that require a payment to use. Users who do not want to pay choose to pirate programs by using keygens to generate the license keys. Due to the nature of such tools, Microsoft Defender has to detect them as threats. However, keygen programs and other pirating tools are known to be used for malware distribution as well.
Microsoft Defender has been using HackTool:Win32/Keygen as the detection name for keygen programs for years. If you use Defender as your primary anti-virus program, you should get an alert saying HackTool:Win32/Keygen has been detected every time you try to use a keygen program. Technically, Microsoft Defender has to detect these kinds of tools because they allow users to access paid programs for free by generating licensing keys.
We should mention that while Defender detecting HackTool:Win32/Keygen on your computer likely only means a keygen program is installed, that does not mean malware cannot be present. It’s no secret that pirating software and content can often lead to various serious malware infections. Besides the question of legality, that’s one of the reasons why pirating software is so discouraged. Microsoft has also stressed that Defender detects malware on more than half of the computers that have a keygen program installed.
Remove HackTool:Win32/Keygen
To remove HackTool:Win32/Keygen detection, you would either need to disable Defender, which is not a good idea, or remove the keygen program that triggers the detection alert. It’s not impossible that other malware may also be present on your device, as keygen programs are known to be used for malware distribution.
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The article should only be used for educational purposes. If you follow the instructions provided in the article, you agree to be bound by this disclaimer. We do not guarantee that the article will aid you in completely removing the malware from your PC. Malicious programs are constantly developing, which is why it is not always easy or possible to clean the computer by using only the manual removal guide.