I found that my Windows detected 'hacktool:Win32/AutoKMS' as a threat today and removed it. I'm a bit confused about how it got there since I haven't installed anything suspicious recently, and I regularly use Malwarebytes, which comes back clean in scans. Can anyone shed light on whether this is a serious issue?
3 Answers
If Windows Defender flagged it, it could be because your PC was sold with a key management service activation method, which reactivates Windows every 180 days. This isn't a standard retail activation. You might want to check with the seller to see if they installed anything shady.
AutoKMS is typically used as a tool for activating Windows. In itself, the genuine version isn't considered harmful. However, there are many fake versions out there that are bundled with malware, especially those downloaded from sketchy sites. If you didn't knowingly install any activator, it might be a warning sign that your system is compromised.
Remember, KMS isn't just for Windows; it's also used for some Office products. If you had a legitimate copy of Office, try opening Word to see if it still works. If the activation is gone, that could provide more insight into whether there's a deeper issue.
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