What Is KeyGen.exe? A Virus Or Malware And Uninstall

KeyGen.exe is the Activation Wizard used by some programs and games to validate their license. Is KeyGen harmful? Should you remove it? How do you stop it from running when Windows starts up? 

In this article, we’ll answer all those questions, plus show you how to get rid of KeyGen if you don’t want it on your PC at all anymore! (Find more free articles on How To Geek here.)

Introducing KeyGen.exe

KeyGen.exe is a program that generates key codes for different software applications, like Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, etc. It’s important to note that this program does not contain malware or viruses and should not be removed from your computer without first consulting with a trusted technician.

Lastly, it’s very common for files named keygen.exe to be found on users’ computers; however, these are not the same as the ones in question here. 

If you’re worried about keygen.exe being on your computer, we recommend running a full system scan using an antivirus program of your choice!

Is keygen Exe Malware?

Keygen.exe is not malware or a virus, but it can cause some problems on your computer if you are not careful. This key generator utility was created to generate keys for many different types of software including Microsoft Office 2010, Adobe Photoshop CS5, AutoCAD 2010, Autodesk 3ds Max 2011, Autodesk Inventor Pro 2011, and much more. 

It generates random sequences of numbers, letters, and other characters to create the product key needed by the installer to validate the installation. 

The program has been around since at least 1998, so don’t panic if you find one lurking on your machine! If you do want to remove it though, here’s how: 

1. Select Start Menu and type uninstall into the search box 

2. Click on Add or Remove Programs

3. Locate Key Generator Utility 

4. Click Uninstall 

5. You will get a pop-up box asking if you’re sure that you want to uninstall this program.

 Make sure that there are no others listed as well, and then click Yes 6) Once the process is complete, restart your computer

How Did I Get Infected?

The most common way to get infected with a virus like this is by downloading an infected program from the internet. If you are not careful while browsing, you could end up downloading a virus instead of the program that you wanted to download. 

Additionally, if someone sends an infected file to your email address, it can also be downloaded when you open your email on your device. If you have any questions about whether a file contains malware (a virus), make sure to scan the file before opening it on your device.

What Is Keygen Used For?

Keygen is a program that can be used to generate a license key for software products such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Windows 7, Windows 8, and more. 

Keygen generates a license key that will unlock the software product’s features so you can use them without any limitations on the number of times you open it per day, month, or year. 

The name keygen was originally coined by programmers who would create programs that generated their serial numbers and keys for copy protection purposes. 

Today, keygens are often created by programmers to circumvent digital rights management (DRM) systems built into certain games and software programs. 

It is not illegal to download and use these programs, but most anti-virus programs warn against installing keygens because they may carry malware or other viruses. 

It is always advisable to scan files downloaded from unknown sources with an antivirus program before installing them onto your computer. 

Some keygens have been known to contain malicious code, including Trojan horses and viruses. There are many free antivirus programs available online that can be used to detect and remove this malicious code from your system if detected.

Keep in mind that just because a file contains the word keygen does not automatically mean that it is dangerous or part of a virus. Many legitimate programs exist which include the word keygen in their title.

Is A Keygen A Virus?

No, a keygen is not a virus. The term keygen refers to the software that generates the data needed to generate an activation code for a specific program.

To put it more simply, a keygen can be thought of as a set of instructions that have been used to crack an application and make it usable without purchasing it first. 

It’s important to note that when you download a keygen from the internet, there’s no guarantee that it won’t include malware. 

The only way you can know if your keygen contains malware is by using antivirus software like Norton AntiVirus or McAfee AntiVirus. 

It’s important to run these scans after downloading anything from the internet so you don’t inadvertently infect your computer with viruses, worms, spyware, and other forms of malicious programs.

How To Remove The Keygen.exe Virus?

The keygen.exe virus is not a virus, but it can be classified as malware because it has been used in the past to install other viruses onto the computer of unsuspecting users who downloaded infected software from third-party sites.

To remove this file, you need to find out what its original purpose was by looking at the program’s associated file extension which should tell you if it was installed for legitimate purposes or if it came with something else that you didn’t know about. 

For example, some common file extensions are .exe and .com – both are used legitimately by programs such as Windows Explorer and Command Prompt respectively.

However, an unknown extension such as keygen.exe might indicate that someone is trying to trick you into downloading an infected file without your knowledge; therefore, we recommend deleting any files with an unknown or unusual file extension.

You may also want to consider using an antivirus program on your computer like Symantec Norton AntiVirus

Conclusion

Keygen.exe is a virus that installs malicious software on your computer without your consent, so it’s important to know if this file belongs to a legitimate application before you decide whether to delete it or not. To learn more about Keygen.exe, click here!