Threats detected: Trojan:Win32/Vigorf.A

Rdub2 155 Reputation points
2025-09-04T16:05:45.6666667+00:00

Thursday September 4, 2025 I booted up my PC to find Windows Defender detected malware called "Trojan:Win32/Vigorf.A"

The threat was quarantined:

WindowsDef1

Did a full system scan and Windows Defender has this 2nd message, "remediation incomplete":

WindowsDef2

Apparently it is related to WinRing0 which is a driver OpenRGB uses for fan control. I previously installed OpenRGB before I realized Windows 11 has built-in RGB fan control. I uninstalled OpenRGB, but it apparently uses WinRing0. It's possible the insecure driver remained after uninstall.

I uninstalled OpenRGB 3 weeks ago so I'm not sure why Windows Defender is just now picking up the threat. Haven't downloaded anything shady.

After this I ran MSERT full scan and found no threats.

Is this a false positive? I removed it from the PC by clicking the "Actions" dropdown. Is there anything else I need to do?

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Defender | Other
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  1. Matty_In_London_City 140 Reputation points
    2025-09-06T01:28:58.7533333+00:00

    The usual MS Windows Defender nonsense. It is NOT a trojan, it's a vulnerability (WingRing0 which is installed and used by FanControl, it is needed for apps like FanControl/SignalRGB to work).

    It is considered a 'security' risk, but it's not a risk to the average PC user/gamer/etc. Only those downloading pirate software, going on 'dodgy' websites, things like that are actually at risk. Even then, whatever virus they downloaded would have to get past their anti-virus software to be able to take advantage of the vulnerability. The vulnerability has ALWAYS been part of Fan Control, it's not just been added to FanControl or any other software that Windows has flagged, Windows Defender has just had an update that makes it flag the vulnerability.

    I've been a PC tech for over 30 years (including employment for 17 years by two of the biggest investment banks in the world), I knew about the vulnerability before installing FanControl.

    It didn't concern me then, it doesn't concern me now. If you're not a shady person that does shady things, you'll be just fine. I just Whitelisted it, no more pop-ups.

    12 people found this answer helpful.

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  1. REW 45 Reputation points
    2025-09-05T13:48:50.9033333+00:00

    I tracked my issue to Intel NUC Software Studio as the culprit that installed OpenHardwareMonitorLib.sys that then triggered the Trojan:Win32/Vigorf.A alert in Defender. Add that to the list of software that uses Open Hardware Monitor.

    9 people found this answer helpful.

  2. Tofi 25 Reputation points
    2025-09-05T09:55:02.88+00:00

    It looks like Microsoft has changed the classification of the Winring0 driver and no longer considers it just a threat, but a Trojan.

    The list of impacted application on this site contains all of the applications mentioned in this discussion: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/microsoft-defender-antivirus-alert-vulnerabledriver-winnt-winring0-eb057830-d77b-41a2-9a34-015a5d203c42

    I think that we have no other option than adding an exclusion to the security settings as Microsoft suggests on the site.

    4 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. John Balzac 15 Reputation points
    2025-09-04T20:49:10.7533333+00:00

    Although I also have FanControl installed. PBOTuner is specifically being called out for the vulnerability in my case:

    User's image

    3 people found this answer helpful.

  4. Salvatore J. Ortisi 20 Reputation points
    2025-09-04T18:20:32.5366667+00:00

    mine is here: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\performancedriverextension.inf_amd64_4307518ac694be75\Service\OpenHardwareMonitorLib.sys

    won't let me delete the file or anything. this must be some sort of problem caused by microsoft updates.

    2 people found this answer helpful.

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