Several Windows users complained of an error message stating that their antivirus program detected a file infected by IDP.Generic. This is not a very well-known form of threat to your computer and therefore, most of us do not have the necessary awareness about this file or the error message.
A lot of panics can be caused when users see this message and start believing that their system is infected by some form of virus or any other malware. Let us learn more about what the IDP.Generic is and what can be done to avoid it, starting with the fun fact that you may not be dealing with a virus at all.
What Does IDP.Generic Mean?
The IDP.Generic is a very common Trojan threat that can appear on your computer. There are a lot of situations where the IDP.Generic error messages can be shown. Windows users with the Avast antivirus program have reported experiencing this issue on your computer.
Most of these issues are shown to be located among game files or when a python script is being run by the system. The IDP in IDP.Generic stands for Identity Protection. This IDP.Generic threat can, possibly, be a trojan horse virus that can take over your data or financial status with ease.
The majority of the time, the goal of the IDP.Generic virus is to start a chain reaction for the breeding of the alpha virus into larger groups of harmful threats.
Software from unknown sources can cause problems by bringing in applications that induce malicious activity, or by misusing software bugs, that may have been overlooked by the developer team.
The antivirus detects this file as a threat as it may have the potential to evolve and take the PC down, over time. It is very important for us to analyze the intensity of the IDP.Generic before making a decision regarding this.
This threat can prevent you from carrying out usual activities like playing games or running other high CPU using applications.
Not only this, but we could also be looking at even severe consequences like the loss of identity, compromisation of privacy, and evolution of the virus leading to corruption of data. If it is not a threat, we could be looking at a false positive.
Factors That Can Cause The IDP.Generic Message
The chief cause for the IDP.Generic error message shows up as an out-of-date version of the Antivirus software. If this factor exists, you will have to deal with a lot of false positives. The cause stands for itself as the name itself suggests that you update the antivirus program.
If this does not help you, you may have to switch to a different antivirus.
Symptoms For The IDP Ares Generic Issue
This is a huge setback when it comes to a computer being infected by the IDP.Generic virus. You will not be able to see any visible symptoms when this trojan horse attacks. This is because of the title of the IDP.
Generic viruses can keep changing their name to avoid detection. Laying emphasis on stealth and preventing detection, the developers of this threat make sure that it maintains a low profile on your computer.
There are a lot of variants for this issue, some of them are –
- IDP Generic Teamviewer
- IDP Generic Reddit
- Installflashplayer exe IDP Generic
- IDP Ares Generic Atom
- IDP Generic AVG
- IDP Generic Avast
- Icarus exe IDP Generic
What Is An IDP.Generic False Positive?
False positives are very common, concerning the IDP.Generic issue. If you do not know what a false positive is, let’s understand it with a relevant example. If you see the IDP.Generic error message, there are two possible case scenarios for you – The system can have the actual trojan horse or it can just be a false alarm from your computer.
When the security system is outdated, it may not be as efficient as it used to be. Newly generated legitimate files may be detected as a threat by the antivirus since the out-of-date antivirus has not been programmed to deal with newer files. Therefore, the tool might show a false positive output after scanning a new file.
How Did The IDP.Generic Get Into My PC?
The IDP.Generic is a trojan horse virus, which only means that every method used by the other forms of malware to get into a computer is valid for this virus too. To elaborate, the ways are familiar with can be the reason why the IDP.Generic virus is now installed on your computer.
Here’s what can possibly invite a virus to make itself at home on your PC –
- Insertion of an external storage device containing a virus
- Downloading files from an untrustworthy source
- Installing applications one isn’t familiar with
- Suspicious websites
- Interaction with attractive ads on applications or blocked websites
Solutions to the IDP.Generic Virus False Positive Detection
These are the solutions you can use when a false positive virus of the IDP.Generic virus has been detected on your computer.
- Check Antivirus Scan Reports
- Update The Virus Definition On Your System
- Download And Install The Latest Java Run-Time Environment Version
- Get Rid Of Shady Applications
- Go Back To A System Restore Point
Steps To Be Taken When An IDP.Generic False Positive Has Been Detected
There are some simple and quick fixes that you can use in case you see the IDP.Generic error message, when you suspect it of being a false positive.
Check Antivirus Scan Reports
The first thing on your agenda after you notice the IDP.Generic error message is to check the most recent scan report. This report will contain information about the detected threats and the action taken against them.
The scan report generally, has details like the number of scanned files, the number of detected threats, names of the infected files, the intensity of the threats, and judgments meted out to the threats. We can use this information to make decisions regarding this issue.
Update The Virus Definition On Your System
This is the process of updating the antivirus software on your computer. Updating this tool can help it become more efficient and not detect legit files as threats to the system. If the issue is with the Avast antivirus, it is very easy to look into. You can update the Avast antivirus with the below-stated measures.
- Open the Avast antivirus window. This can be done through a desktop, start menu, or task tray shortcut.
- Find the Menu option on the upper right part of the Avast window and click on it.
- Go into the Settings tab and click on the General tab.
- When the General tab expands, select the Update tab, which is located in the left panel.
- Now, click on the Check for Updates option, under the section related to the Virus definitions to make the tool scan the internet for available updates. If any pending updates are found, the application will download them.
Download And Install The Latest Java Run-Time Environment Version
When the Java Run-Time Environment tool is outdated, the chances are high for your Avast antivirus to display false positives of the IDP.Generic virus. The best option here is to update the JRE on your system.
- Bring up the computer’s Control Panel (control) window.
- Set the View type to Category and go into the Programs option.
- Click on the Java link to launch the Java Control Panel.
- Move to the Update tab and select the Update Now button.
- If an update is available, you will be shown details about it and the Update button. Click on it to download the most recent JRE version.
Get Rid Of Shady Applications
When you visit suspicious websites, there are a lot of chances that the website redirects you to another page that downloads unknown files. These files can be the viruses you could be dreading. Similarly, applications from unfamiliar sources can also be carriers of threats.
If an application crashes become stuck or uses too much CPU memory, uninstall the application immediately. To remove the sketchy software from a Windows computer, we can use the Add or Remove Programs page in Windows Settings or the Programs and Features page in the Control Panel.
Go Back To A System Restore Point
A system restore point is a save point for the Operating System (OS) that contains perfectly functional computer configurations. If you’ve already created one, you can refer to it if your system has a problem.
- In the desktop search box, type system restore point and then select the first search result.
- The System Properties dialog box appears on your screen. Press the System Restore button in this window.
- When the System Restore box appears, go to the main page and click on the Next button. On your computer, you’ll be able to see all the restore points that you’ve made previously.
- Select the most recent Restore Point and click on the Next button in the Window’s bottom-right corner.
- To exit this window and load a restore point, hit the Finish button in the final window.
Whitelisting Applications On Your Computer
This solution can come in handy when the antivirus program scans apps that you know are clean and proclaims them to be viruses. You can exempt them from the system scans and they will not be scanned anymore until chosen to.
The steps to this can differ from each third-party antivirus program because all of them are developed with unique user interfaces. However, the idea is the same. So you should be able to find the option for exemption in the same menu where you can initiate a scan of your computer.
If you do not have a subscription to any third-party antivirus application, the inbuilt Windows Defender antivirus will scan your computer. There are definite steps to exempt a directory or a file from being scanned by this security tool.
- Open the Windows Settings (Windows + I).
- Go into the Updates & Security tile > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection.
- Now, scroll down to the Virus & Threat Protection settings section and click on the Manage settings link.
- Navigate to the Exclusions section and select the Add or remove exclusions link.
- Then, press the + Add an exclusion button and you will be asked to choose what kind of file you wish to exempt.
- Once the file type is chosen, use the Open window to navigate to the directory where the application, file, or folder to be excluded is located.
- Select the file to be excluded and click on the Open button.
The file will not be scanned hereafter, by the Windows Defender firewall.
Preventing IDP.Generic Threats
Protecting yourself from the IDP.Generic Threats involve the same steps as trying to be cautious against any other digital threat to your system. This is what you can try doing.
- Keep the antivirus application up-to-date.
- Do not go into websites that the browser or antivirus is preventing you from entering.
- Stop files from downloading without your permission.
- Delete mail or spam that is from suspicious sources.
What Should I Do To Stop Malware From Getting Into My Computer?
Purchase A Subscription To An Antivirus Software
Antivirus programs are very useful. This application can protect your computer from threats. You may ask why you shouldn’t stick with the Windows Defender antivirus. We recommend that you get third-party antivirus software over the built-in antivirus.
The Windows Defender does not detect as many threats as the third-party tool. Besides, there are extra features that do not come with the Windows Antivirus. The third-party antivirus may cost you a certain subscription amount but it is totally worth it.
Connect Only With Trusted Networks
Networks are one of the biggest sources of digital threats. Connecting to the wrong network can invite viruses or even hackers to come to attack your computer and pick away at your data. It is not advisable to connect to a public network, that isn’t secured. Home or office networks can be used to access the internet.
Enable Protection For Your Networks
If your network connection is not protected with a password, make sure you turn on network protection to prevent unauthorized entries. An open network, when detected, is highly likely to be used by a lot of devices. This also attracts bad company and thereby, threats.
You can use the network settings or the router interface to enable some form of protection for the internet connection. Most wireless networks use the WPA2 encryption method.
Close Suspicious Web Pages Immediately
All of us have experienced being redirected to random web pages filled with ads, unexpectedly. These pages can possibly bring in threats to your computer. If any tab or browser window opens up with a website you did not opt to open, close it immediately. The longer you keep these pages open, the more the pop-ups open. These will bring in more viruses to your computer.
Be Aware Of Misleading Links, Downloads, And Websites
While browsing on the internet, you can come across links to other websites or pages. It is best to keep away from these links. Some of these can be download links, that will instantly download a threat. Sometimes the browser or your antivirus software can block the download. It is better to be safe than sorry when you are dealing with a threat.
Update All The System Drivers And The OS
One of the most important details that you need to make sure of is that all the drivers on your computer and the Operating System (OS) itself are updated. You will receive a notification on your taskbar when the OS updates are available. Interacting with this notification can help you download the OS update.
If you wish to do it manually, go into Windows Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates. When there are pending updates, check your internet connection and click on the Download & Install button. Restarting the PC after the installation of any driver software or OS version will save and apply these changes.
Getting Rid Of Malware
Your best option to remove malware from your computer is to use an antivirus tool to detect the threat and deal with it. When a threat is located, most antiviruses deal with them based on its harm intensity.
They will either be deleted without any trace or quarantined so that you can decide what to do with them. A lot of antivirus tools run regular scans of the computer after pre-set or chosen intervals.
These scans will filter out the malware from the clean files. These scans can take place in the background without disturbing your ongoing processes.
If you suspect an application or a file of corrupting your computer or getting into your privacy, you can always delete them manually.
These are the steps you can use to deal with both the IDP generic and a false positive of the same trojan horse virus. If none of the above methods or workarounds help you, try talking with the antivirus support team or use different antivirus software.