Ground.exe is a virus type that attacks your application’s executable file! Yes!!

Go on window explorer -> click on view Tab -> check hidden items

Then see at the right of check boxes, there is an options drop down menu, click on it. Then you will see a window will appear, go to view tab and unchecked the option highlighted in the image below.

Note: unchecked the highlighted option above will give you access to hidden system files as well! so be sure to not delete any hidden file which you are not sure as a virus as it can corrupt your whole windows!

Now, when you go to your application directory or the place where your application’s executable is stored, you will see that there is a faded (hidden) executable with a ‘g’ at the starting of the name, and the main file which is not hidden.

Basically what this virus do is, it makes a replica of main executable file with its own code and then when you open the .exe file, you will open its replica so this virus will record every activity you do in that application, and can steal your private information like your payment info, passwords etc.

Symptoms of Ground virus:

1. executable icons get faded or pixelated.
2. Main executable (.exe) file changed to size of 512 Kb.
3. Ground program running in task manager as well as on startup.
4. Applications stop functioning or giving unknown errors specially when using coding software which require a lot of executable files to be interconnected. Ex: Eclipse IDE.
5. Name of application turned to capital letters.

How to get rid of this virus?

Note: You will find a lot of websites offering free tool to remove this virus but all are lies and require you to pay them in order to get rid of this virus.

Don’t download any tool because you can remove this virus manually very easily!

1. Disable this virus in your processes as well as startup tabs in your task manager.
2. then go to the origin of this ‘Ground.exe’ file that is: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming
3. Delete the ‘Ground.exe’ file on the above address.
4. Now click window’s key+r and type regedit, or directly search in cortana : registry editor. Open it.
5. Now click ctrl+f or go in edit tab and select Find.
6. Type the name of the Virus that is Ground.exe or ground, you can try both. It will take some time to search so be patient.
7. Delete the entry. [make sure you are not deleting a system entry as it can corrupt the windows! you are at your own RISK!!]
8. Work is not done yet! virus origin is gone now but if you open its affected .exe file, you will be doomed again! so now you have to go to every application’s directory and see if there is any hidden executable file with a ‘g’ at the starting of name. Don’t delete that file! it is your original file, just hidden and with a ‘g’. Delete the not- hidden 512 Kb file and rename the hidden file by removing the ‘g’.
9. If you open any affected file again, then you have to repeat all the steps again!

What to do for prevention?

1. Buy a paid antivirus. (for best security)
2. Keep your Windows defender protection always ON, it can detect some affected files and block them.
3. This virus can came from malicious websites and some software which are downloaded illegally through torrents or any other website. (I got this virus through Internet download manager Cracked), Never downloading again any software through torrents!

This virus can be of any name! so be sure you check the name in task manager as well as in the origin folder to confirm.

I opt to ride this blog because i was very frustrated by this virus and surfed through whole internet for solution, but there are many websites who make profits out of your restrain. they don’t care about your emotions and feelings that how much a person is frustrated or whatever, they are just there for their greed, better not to encourage by buying their advertised software.

Bookmark this website as i will provide you some good content in near future!

Any questions or queries? you can ask them in comments.

Be happy and stay positive , Have a great time ahead!