I recently encountered a serious issue. A friend of mine on Discord was hacked and unknowingly sent me a file that turned out to be malware disguised as a game. Now, I'm being blackmailed by the hacker who is demanding $100 to prevent them from leaking my information. I've already changed my Gmail password and updated the email and password for my Steam account, but I'm currently unable to log into Discord; it keeps saying 'can't find computer'. My biggest concern is whether the malware is still on my PC. I really don't want to reset my computer and lose everything, but I'm also unsure about how a reset works. If I go through with it, will I still be able to use my current pin to log into my PC? Any help would be appreciated; I'm feeling really lost right now.
5 Answers
You might want to utilize Autoruns by Sysinternals to check what processes are running and eliminate anything suspicious before deciding to do a clean install.
Under no circumstances should you pay the blackmail! They will only keep demanding more money from you. It's best to ignore them and focus on securing your system instead.
If you want to err on the side of caution, you should completely nuke your system. Disconnect it from the network and use a different device to change your passwords and set up 2FA for all your accounts. Backup only essential documents (leave out apps and games), then create a bootable USB to reinstall Windows or even try out Linux. Here are some helpful resources for the process:
- Rufus for making a bootable stick: [rufus.ie/en/](https://rufus.ie/en/)
- Windows 11 ISO download: [microsoft.com/software-download/windows11](https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11)
You have a couple of options. You can run various antivirus programs like the built-in Windows antivirus and Malwarebytes to clean your system. However, there’s a chance that some malware could remain hidden. The more foolproof approach is to wipe your drives and do a fresh install of Windows. That way, you can be sure everything is gone. After that, definitely change all your passwords! And seriously, don’t pay the blackmailer or download files from Discord again—it's risky!
I'm thinking of resetting my PC too. If there's a risk of malware still being there, I suppose reinstalling everything won’t be too hard. I just hope my accounts are safe!
The malware is probably still present. It’s crucial to disconnect your infected system from the Internet to prevent any more damage or data leaks. Change all your passwords using a different device, and then create a bootable Windows media to reinstall your OS. Make sure to remove all partitions when you reinstall to ensure a complete wipe. This process is more secure than just doing a reset.
Good point about disconnecting! I need to make sure to handle all security changes before going back online.
Can I choose the "keep my files" option during the reset? Will that still remove the malware?
Is it normal to get stuck at 98% when resetting? Just wondering if that's a good sign or not.