I've made a mistake and clicked on a phishing link in an email from a business associate. The link was for a party RSVP service called Punchbowl, and I feel really embarrassed about it. Nothing happened right after I clicked the link, but I learned that the person who originally got phished lost control of his computer weeks later after a blue screen issue. Now, I'm considering doing a factory reset on my iMac, but I'm worried about my personal documents. Is it worth trying to save those files onto a USB drive before I reset? Could there be hidden malware that I'd accidentally back up with my documents? I know I should have acted sooner, but I'd appreciate any advice on how serious this situation is, especially since I have sensitive work files on that computer.
4 Answers
You're fine, really! Just remember to keep your software updated and use reliable security tools. As a precaution, run a scan to ensure there's nothing harmful hanging around on your machine.
Remember, it’s always good to have backup plans in place before things go wrong. If you haven’t been backing up before this, now you know—set up Time Machine or similar for future peace of mind!
It's good that you're taking this seriously! If you didn't enter any personal info or download anything, the risk of having malware is pretty low. Macs don’t automatically run files just by clicking a link. Before you reset, I recommend running a scan with Malwarebytes to be safe.
Absolutely, you should prioritize your backups. Just be careful while saving your files—it's better to back them up on a clean system if you're concerned about hidden malware. Consider taking some time to check your files before resetting.
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