Memu-Installer Virus - How to remove

MEmu is an Android emulator for Windows. Even though MEmuis is not malicious, its official site and some versions of its installer (MEmu-installer.exe) get detected by antivirus programs. This is because some versions of the MEmu installer have adware embedded in them and can cause unwanted programs to be installed on your device.

So, be careful and make sure that when you’re installing MEmu, you get it from the official site and use a good antivirus program to protect yourself. If you get an infected version, a MEmu virus could be harmful to your computer.

About MEmu virus in short:

Classification	Adware, trojan.
Problems with the MEmu installer	Some versions of the MEmu installer include other unwanted programs.
How bundlers spread	Infected installers may be downloaded form freeware download sites, official versions might also include unwanted programs.
How to remove MEmu malware	Check your computer for adware and other viruses manually and with antivirus programs (Spyhunter, Malwarebytes, others).

Is the MEmu installer safe?

It’s an emulator

MEmu is an Android emulator. It’s often used for playing Android games, but it can be used for almost anything. Its home page is detected by a few antivirus programs as Suspicious and even Malicious (Virustotal.com).

The emulator can be downloaded from the main Memu webpage, Memuplay.com. It’s also available on various software download sites. When I downloaded MEmu from Memuplay, there was nothing suspicious about it.

Adware-infected installers

Even though the version of MEmu that I got was free of any infections, there is an issue with some Memu-installer.exe files being infected with adware, such as InstallCore and DealPly. These names indicate that the setup files include ads inside them. Full-page offers for programs that might interest you – that paid to be promoted inside software installers.

Here are a few scan results on Virustotal.com:

• Example 1 is detected as DealPly, InstallCode, Cerdossa, Trojan, Adware, Malicious, Unwanted, etc.
• Example 2 is detected as Sponsor, Adware, etc.
• Example 3 is also found to be Downloader, Malicious, Adware, Trojan, etc.

The problem with MEmu installers showing ads for other programs is that this often results in accidental installations of potentially unwanted programs. Optional offers are often presented in a way that users don’t realize that they’re allowing offers to be installed. Sometimes, the ads are hidden in Advanced or Custom settings. Other times, the “Decline” button is invisible or placed in an unusual and unintuitive spot.

Unintuitive design is really bad when it can result in unwanted software being installed on your computer. It doesn’t mean that MEmu itself is dangerous, but some MEmu installers can be dangerous. This post on Hanselman.com is still relevant and a great example of deceptive installers. You can also look up dark patterns for more illustrations of what to watch out for.

How to remove malware

Review what programs were installed on your computer at around the same time as MEmu was installed and remove those items that are suspicious or unwanted.

Scan your computer with Spyhunter, Malwarebytes, or another anti-malware program and remove the items that are detected as unwanted or malicious. In most cases, MEmu should not be detected, as it itself is not harmful. But if its installer put any suspicious programs on your computer, those programs should be detected.

To avoid infected versions of the MEmu installer, it’s best to use the official website or authorized distributors to download the emulator from. But some developers do allow ads in their installers, which is a problem.

This is why it’s important to use a good antivirus program. Allow your antivirus program to warn you about suspicious programs and take those warnings seriously.

Programs bundled with MEmu installers and other installers are unlikely to be very dangerous, like botnets, miners, or ransomware. They’re more likely to be spyware programs like RelevantKnowledge and various PC optimizers like CleanMyPC. These programs shouldn’t cause too many real problems. However, some infections, like Segurazo which has been mentioned as being spread by MEmu/Nox, are very difficult to remove. To save time and nerves, it’s best to just not allow bundlers to put junk on your computer in the first place.

Automatic Malware removal tools

How to remove Memu-Installer Virus using Windows Control Panel

Many hijackers and adware like Memu-Installer install some of their components as regular Windows programs as well as additional software. This part of malware can be uninstalled from the Control Panel. To access it, do the following.

• Start→Control Panel (older Windows) or press Windows Key→Search and enter Control Panel and then press Enter (Windows 8, Windows 10).
• Choose Uninstall Program (if you don't see it, click in the upper right next to "View by" and select Category).
• Go through the list of programs and select entries related to Memu-Installer Virus . You can click on "Name" or "Installed On" to reorder your programs and make Memu-Installer easier to find.
• Click the Uninstall button. If you're asked if you really want to remove the program, click Yes.
• In many cases anti-malware programs are better at detecting related parasites, thus I recommend installing Spyhunter to identify other programs that might be a part of this infection.