Andrew 0 Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Sorry if this issue has been covered before but a quick search showed nothing:- I am using Smart Security on a Windows 10 Home machine (Upgraded from Windows 8.1 Home) and have a unknown user on my machine, this user is called "ghhmtqua". I have scanned for Virus, maleware and spyware using a number of tools not just ESET's, I have deleted and disabled this user using console commands and the control panel but guess what it keeps coming back. Doing some general reading there are a lot of fingers pionting to ESET Smart Security creating this account, could someone confirm this and explain it's reason. Other then that I love ESET products but I bought my wife a laptop (Windws 10 Home upgraded from Windows 8.1) and have left it with just Microsoft's Defender for now. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Solution Marcos 5,267 Posted September 6, 2015 Administrators Solution Share Posted September 6, 2015 It looks like you have activated Anti-Theft. However, this "strange" account shouldn't appear on the logon screen unless you mark the device as missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew 0 Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 OK, looks like the right direction, Anti Theft is enabled but I didn't complete it so it was waiting on me clicking the confirmation email. Thank you for your prompt help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theman 0 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Hello everyone, I am having the same problem here with an unknow account being created. I have used eset since 5 years ago, give or take, I had never had this issue before, until like a year ago. The account created is always the same but it is a bunch of random characters. I even reset my laptop because I thought it was a virus but now, after I upgraded to windows 10, and after I set up eset anti-theft, it has begun to happen again. Can it be due to the anti-theft?? I hope you can help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Marcos 5,267 Posted September 22, 2015 Administrators Share Posted September 22, 2015 Yes, Anti-Theft creates a new account (so-called phantom account). However, you shouldn't see it until you mark the device as missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpollis 0 Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 So how can I remove this user account? It is a little disconcerting. And, in the process of researching/fix/resolvinig this issue, I remove the affected device from the internet (I disabled the Wi-Fi), then removed the account, and before a complete eset scan completed, the account returned. Since i've disconnected the device, what is the agent/app that is doing the account creation and how can I stop it. I have also removed both devices from the eset anti-theft website. What is the problem if it is not supposed to appear unless the device is reported as missing? There seem to be quite a few people reporting this and a little explanation of why and some assurance that it is not compromising my system would be nice. Any and all answers would be nice. My wife is afraid to activate the wi-fi now. Lp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ESET Moderators TomasP 318 Posted October 9, 2015 ESET Moderators Share Posted October 9, 2015 Hello, To remove the account, please log in to your my.eset.com account and in Anti-theft settings you can disable the phantom account. The next time your computer goes online and synchronizes with our portal, the setting will be sent to your computer and the account will be removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontifex 0 Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 I am having this same issue with weird user account. mine is vhrfnwuz. it shows up on the login screen. If I delete the account it comes back on reboot.I've also set it to deactivated but it reactivates on reboot.I'm running windows 7 and I keep it up to date. I also use Eset Antivirus, MalwareBytes Anti-malware (paid version), Windows Security Essentials, and MalwareBytes Anti-Exploit.I've run scans with all of those and even some other apps but nothing is ever found.I've read online that some programs will create an account to update themselves, like Nvidia does or did this at one point. I don't think I have any Nvidia software on my laptop though.I've also read that a lot of people who run Eset have this problem so wondering if it might be from that?I saw in some forums people run net user <username> to get more details.Like in the case of Nvidia creating it, it shows Nvidia in the comment line but on mine it is blank.It shows that it's never logged on and its only part of the users local group (not administrators) so that's a plus. I see people here saying I shouldn't be able to see the account. Can someone from Eset confirm this is true? I guess to verify I could disable anti-theft and see if it goes away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Marcos 5,267 Posted October 30, 2015 Administrators Share Posted October 30, 2015 The account is created if you activate Anti-Theft. Does disabling AT make a difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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