I downloaded Hitman: Blood Money and later learned that it does not officially support controllers, so I searched for a tool called Xpadder/XMapper and downloaded one from an unfamiliar website. The installer was password-protected, and when I reached the setup wizard I could not enter the password. Almost immediately afterward, my phone received an Outlook sign-in approval notification that I did not request, so I suspect the download may have contained malware. I disconnected the computer from the internet and started running Microsoft Defender scans. The PC is mainly used for Steam games and Discord and does not contain much important data. What other steps should I take?
4 Answers
Treat the Outlook notification as a possible sign that credentials or session tokens were stolen. Using a different, clean device, change the passwords for accounts used on that computer, starting with email. Enable two-factor authentication, sign out unknown sessions and devices, and review account activity. Do not enter new passwords on the potentially infected PC until it has been reinstalled.
Since the computer has little important data, the safest option is to back up only personal files you trust, then completely wipe the drive and reinstall Windows from a clean USB installer. A reinstall is more reliable than trying to determine whether scans removed everything. Afterward, install updates and trusted software only.
A password-protected archive or installer can be used to make malware harder for scanners to inspect, so the download is definitely suspicious. You can run Defender Offline as an additional check, but given the possible infostealer and the lack of important files, wiping and reinstalling Windows is the more dependable choice. Also check Steam, Discord and any other accounts for unfamiliar logins, and avoid saving payment details until everything is secured.
For future controller support, check whether Steam Input works with the game first, or use a well-known controller-mapping application downloaded from its official source. Avoid random password-protected installers, especially when the password cannot be entered normally.
I disconnected it from the internet and will use my phone to change passwords and review the Outlook sign-ins before wiping the machine.