Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
A string of random characters ending with ".exe" may be manifestations of virus files left behind.
What is (random-characters).exe?
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I frequently get questions asking "what is qwijbo.exe", where "qwijibo" is what can best be described as a random assortment of characters. Examples include wfwvkdyl.exe, tjuazuyt.exe, and others. They key is that the name appears completely nonsensical.
What are they? Hard to say. But my initial guess doesn't bode well.
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My belief is that these are manifestations of viruses (or maybe spyware). Several viruses are known to generate random names for the files they leave behind on infected machines.
My advice as always is to get a good virus scanner, keep the virus database up to date, and scan regularly. Same story for spyware.
Article C2156 - August 14, 2004
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
I have the same problem on a Windows XP machine. Does anyone know how to remove the source of the problem?
Posted by: Dave at September 23, 2004 7:50 AMi noticed the same thing on mine, the only difference:
it keeps creating folders with random names in C:\Programs\Shared Files\
or
C:\Programme\Gemeinsame Dateien\
inside those folders .exe are created also with random names + 1 file with weird extensions, for example .ndl , .el etc
if you try and delete them and the system refuses it means that there are running processes supporting them, which you have to stop first.
Posted by: ili at November 18, 2004 2:28 AMHavent found the real source yet and it buggs me :(
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/lofiversion/index.php/t45102.html
not sure if that will help but closest thing i found so far will try it and report back later.. if i remember =p
Posted by: Ahlong at May 1, 2005 9:26 PMI've found RI943D.exe on my server in C:\WINDOWS\Temp, ended the process and it literally vanished, then on my computer found NN5675.exe in the same location. Same action, same result. Vanished from the computer. Nothing has come back on either computer, but we have 14 more in a domain group. I'll have to check them all i suppose.
Posted by: Mandi at March 11, 2008 6:30 AMThis is the same thing I got. Win XP with the updates.
Random string characters.exe
IF I terminate they start again.
Posted by: james at November 3, 2008 6:44 PMI tried to CC Cleaner to stop them at startup
HOwever, they renamed themselves to something else.
Anyone got a solution? I'd appreciate it!!