I'm trying to figure out if what happened to me is just a coincidence or something more serious. I recently got a new computer with Windows 11, and everything was working perfectly. But today, I connected an old hard drive that I used for years on my previous computer. I didn't access any files or run anything from it, but I'm concerned it might have malware because I downloaded random software back when I was younger. Later that evening, I got a notification from Microsoft about two suspicious logins to my account—one from Brazil and another from India. It's strange because I had just changed my password a few days ago. I quickly changed my password again and enabled two-factor authentication, but now I'm worried my new computer could be infected. Is it possible for a hard drive to infect a computer just by being plugged in? What should I do next?
4 Answers
Plugging in any drive that might have malware can potentially mess with your system. It’s best to be cautious and avoid connecting drives that you're not sure about. Even though you didn’t think the old drive had any problems, it’s always better to not take that risk if you suspect it might contain something harmful.
Yes, a hard drive that contains malware can definitely pose a risk to your computer just by being plugged in. It's recommended to connect that drive to a Linux machine or a Mac for data recovery as they are often less susceptible to Windows malware. Since you've already connected the drive, I suggest running a full scan with Windows Defender on both your new SSD and the old drive to check for any infections.
Absolutely, plugging in that drive could allow malware to execute or spread. Windows has features like autorun that can automatically trigger processes on the drive, which is why it’s essential to disable autorun settings, especially for external drives. Make sure to be careful in the future about connecting unknown drives.
Those login alerts you received could be a sign of malware at work. Sometimes, just connecting an infected drive can create vulnerabilities that allow access to your accounts. Stay vigilant and update your security settings!
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