Cybercriminals are infecting users with malware that appears as Windows 11 Installer.
Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 11, is set to be released in October this year and already many people are excited and eagerly awaiting it. After all, it has been six years since the official release of Windows 10 and users are waiting to see what new things Microsoft will bring with the new operating system.
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As we know, cybercriminals are always looking for ways to exploit unsuspecting users, and all this hype around Windows 11 gives them a great opportunity to trick excited and impatient fans of Microsoft's operating system. Researchers have discovered a new malware and the executable is called 86307_windows 11 build 21996.1 x64 + activator.exe. The malware appears as a Windows 11 installer.
If a user downloads and runs the Windows 11 setup file, it will be presented as a standard application installer interface – but not what we are used to for Windows OS installs. In addition, the terms of acceptance of the application installation talk about several malicious programs that will be installed if you accept. The bad thing is that no one reads the terms in detail and simply clicks on accept, putting themselves at various risks, as in this case.
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As Kaspersky, “[The] programs can be extensive – from relatively harmless adware, which our solutions classify as non-virus, to Trojans, password stealers, exploits and other dangerous stuff.” However, we can’t say that the supposed Windows 11 installer didn’t warn you.
See also: Windows 11: How to check if your PC can run the new OS
The question is simple. Why would someone put themselves at risk by looking for ways to install Windows 11 Insider Preview, instead of turning to the official channels? It's not too difficult. If you have a Windows 10 machine that meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 (i.e. most new computers purchased in recent years), you can upgrade using the familiar Windows Update interface:
- Open Settings.
- Go to the “Update & Security” section.
- Scroll down until you find “Windows Insider Program” and click on it.
- Subscribe to the program in this menu, then when prompted, select the Dev Channel ring.
- Restart your computer, then go to “ Windows Update ” and check for updates. Then, Windows 11 v10.022000.100 will start downloading.
However, the safest and most reliable thing is to wait for the official release of Windows 11, in October, although the new operating system will only be available on new computers. According to Microsoft, those who want to upgrade their Windows 10 computers to the official version [public version] without going through the Insider Program will have to wait until the first half of 2022.
Source: HotHardware
