How to remove Celestial Stealer

What is Celestial Stealer

Celestial Stealer is a sophisticated piece of malware designed to extract sensitive information from infected systems, primarily targeting Windows 10 and 11 operating systems. This stealer is written in JavaScript and operates as a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS), meaning it is offered for sale in various configurations and payment plans, making it accessible to cybercriminals. Its primary objective is to obtain personal data such as passwords, credit card details, and cryptocurrency wallet information, posing significant risks of identity theft and financial loss. Celestial Stealer employs advanced evasion techniques, including heavy obfuscation, anti-debugging, and detection mechanisms to avoid being caught by security software. It can infiltrate systems through multiple vectors, such as malicious email attachments, fake software updates, and phishing campaigns. Once inside a system, it ensures persistence by executing PowerShell commands to auto-start on reboot and can terminate processes that threaten its operation. With its ability to extract data from browsers, applications, and even specific file types, Celestial Stealer represents a severe threat to user privacy and system integrity, necessitating immediate removal upon detection.

How Celestial Stealer infected your system

Celestial Stealer, a sophisticated malware operating as Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS), employs various infiltration techniques to compromise computers. It often disguises itself as legitimate software or enticing content, such as a fake VRChat chatroom, to lure users into downloading it. Once the malicious file is executed, it leverages social engineering tactics and exploits system vulnerabilities to embed itself within the operating system. Celestial Stealer is typically distributed via phishing emails, malicious online advertisements, and dubious download channels, including pirated software sites and peer-to-peer networks. Its ability to obfuscate code and utilize anti-analysis techniques makes it adept at evading detection by conventional antivirus programs. Upon successful infiltration, the stealer executes scripts using PowerShell to establish persistence, enabling it to auto-start with every system reboot and continue its data extraction activities undetected.

1. Download Celestial Stealer Removal Tool
2. Use Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to remove Celestial Stealer
3. Use Autoruns to remove Celestial Stealer
4. Files, folders and registry keys of Celestial Stealer
5. Other aliases of Celestial Stealer
6. How to protect from threats, like Celestial Stealer

Remove Celestial Stealer manually

Manual removal of Celestial Stealer by inexperienced users may become a difficult task because it does not create entries in Add/Remove Programs under Control Panel, does not install browser extensions, and uses random file names. However, there are pre-installed instruments in the Windows system, that allow you to detect and remove malware without using third-party applications. One of them is Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. It comes with Windows Update in Windows 11, 10, 8. 8.1. For older operating system you can download it here: 64-bit version | 32-bit version.

Remove Celestial Stealer using Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

1. Type mrt in the search box near Start Menu.
2. Run mrt clicking on found item.
3. Click Next button.
4. Choose one of the scan modes Quick scan, Full scan, Customize scan (Full scan recommended).
5. Click Next button.
6. Click on View detailed results of the scan link to view the scan details.
7. Click Finish button.

Remove Celestial Stealer using Autoruns

Celestial Stealer often sets up to run at Windows startup as an Autorun entry or Scheduled task.

1. Download Autoruns using this link.
2. Extract the archive and run Autoruns.exe file.
3. In Options menu make sure there are checkboxes near Hide Empty Locations, Hide Microsoft Entries, and Hide Windows Entries.
4. Search for suspicious entries with weird names or running from locations like: C:\{username}\AppData\Roaming.
5. Right-click on suspicious entry and choose Delete. This will prevent the threat to run at startup.
6. Switch to Scheduled Tasks tab and do the same.
7. To remove files themselves, click on suspicious entries and choose Jump to Entry…. Remove files or registry keys found.

Remove files, folder and registry keys of Celestial Stealer

Celestial Stealer files and folders


{randomname}.exe


Celestial Stealer registry keys


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Aliases of Celestial Stealer

How to protect from threats, like Celestial Stealer, in future

Standard Windows protection or any decent third-party antivirus (Norton, Avast, Kaspersky) should be able to detect and remove Celestial Stealer. However, if you got infected with Celestial Stealer with existing and updated security software, you may consider changing it. To feel safe and protect your PC from Celestial Stealer on all levels (browser, e-mail attachments, Word or Excel scripts, file system) we recommend a leading provider of internet security solutions – BitDefender. Its solutions both for home and business users proved to be one of the most advanced and effective. Choose and get your BitDefender protection via the button below:

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