Locked Asus Live Update can't remove it, downloading and installing automatically

[kumarsbhuvnesh]

hey guys,
i have been very careful when installing apps, but few days ago i installed a program which was having asus company signature which was installed because adobe photoshop was saying that i don't latest version of graphic so looked at intel website and asus site and installed few tools from intel and asus website but nothing worked. later i found that photoshop is providing wrong information. so i uninstalled whatever i have downloaded but asus live update that was installed to check update was automatically installed when i am connected to network in next restart. i have tried revo uninstaller, total uninstaller , window 10 manager and windows own uninstaller but it comes again. and today i found that
"The ASUS Live Update is a software patching utility which comes preinstalled on most ASUS computers. It’s used to perform automatic updated on important computer software components, such as BIOS, UEFI, software drivers, and some other major applications. The hackers managed to replace the authentic ASUS Live Update software with several corrupted versions of their own, which imitated the digital signature of ASUS and fooled computers into downloading and installing them. The researchers who raised the alarm estimate that over a million computers were affected. Each of these corrupted auto-update software versions was targeting a specific and unknown pool of users, which were identified by their network adapters’ MAC addresses. Cybersecurity experts say that this type of MO points to a surgical espionage malware, which means it was specifically designed to spy on specific users.

now give me a possible solution of removing. it has done nothing yet. but i have fear of infection.

 

[fantom]

kumarsbhuvnesh​

Do You by any chance have enabled making of a "restore point"? It is ON by default /at least for C drive/ so look there is any restore point with date before date when You installed that cr*p

 

[Chuck]

I Googled "asus live update malware" and came up with lots of links, including these

https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1039336/
https://www.asus.com/news/hqfgVUyZ6uyAyJe1/
https://www.pcmag.com/news/how-to-check-if-your-asus-pc-was-hit-by-a-malicious-update
https://www.wired.com/story/asus-software-update-hack/

The first link I gave you has a download link for an "ASUS Security Diagnostic Tool". You should use it.

This malware first came to light in 2019 so it is likely that your antivirus app is already aware of it.
After running the Asus tool, run a full anti-virus scan of your whole system, just to be sure.

 

[kumarsbhuvnesh]

i have scanned many time,

You must be registered for see links

i did full scan with unhack me software and windows defender and inbuilt scanner of lObit but no suspicious activity found so may be it not that malware

but problem is, when i uninstall it, in my next restart it automatically install back when i connect to network.

 

[Chuck]

but problem is, when i uninstall it, in my next restart it automatically install back when i connect to network.

If when you say "it", you mean the ASUS Live Update tool then the best place to ask your question is on an Asus forum or website.

 

[kumarsbhuvnesh]

yeah may be, i don't know . at first i thought it is a kind of malware, hard to detect but you solve my problem by assuring that it is safe, i have blocked it and can not run automatically
i will keep it untill i do a fresh install
thank you very much

 

[juanamm]

yeah may be, i don't know . at first i thought it is a kind of malware, hard to detect but you solve my problem by assuring that it is safe, i have blocked it and can not run automatically
i will keep it untill i do a fresh install
thank you very much

So you have solved the issue, can the Mods close this thread?

 

[Chuck]

So you have solved the issue, can the Mods close this thread?

There is no rush to close any thread in this forum.
It is useful to know when a question has been answered, but not essential.
If a thread goes quiet for a few weeks then admins will clear it out.

 

[kumarsbhuvnesh]

my doubt is clear that it is safe but i am just curious about something. there is some instruction given before anything happen on the internet so my question what instruction and from where these instruction are given to download and install asus live update

 

[juanamm]

my doubt is clear that it is safe but i am just curious about something. there is some instruction given before anything happen on the internet so my question what instruction and from where these instruction are given to download and install asus live update

I think you already answered that question yourself at the beginning of the thread:

..."The ASUS Live Update is a software patching utility which comes preinstalled on most ASUS computers...."

Another way is that you have downloaded it within a package or update of Asus drivers, another that you have installed some software sponsored by Asus and when installing you have not read the instructions well and have given "next, next, next...".

In other words, there are many ways that this software has entered your PC, I wouldn't worry about that, I would worry about eliminating it if it is detected as malware or I simply don't need it, I don't want it.

Please note that all apps can be removed, some will require more aggressive methods than others, but all of them can be removed.
So far my humble contribution in this thread.

 

[kumarsbhuvnesh]

yeah, i think so whatever have downloaded can be removed. i keep my pc very clean(zero unwanted app). when i was looking for graphic driver i went to official website only not third party site( intel and asus) when i scanned using using intel tool, it scanned in browser and found latest version. and when i scanned using asus live update ( utility tool as you can see in ss

but later it gave me a issue showing critical flag it was activation but hit the install button that's it what i did

but i have uninstalled that critical update so it showing me again to install it

i am linking the tool link that i have downloaded

my file that i used for install

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official site link

You must be registered for see links

 

[kumarsbhuvnesh]

if anyone this site experts wants remote access to my pc i will give to look into matter. i trust you guys here.