I left my PC on while I was at work, and when I came back, I noticed some weird stuff. Microsoft Edge had tabs open with 'Events near me' and some Bing links containing 'Czech Republic,' which is odd because I usually use Chrome. I decided to check my cache and saw that Windows PowerShell (admin) was there, something I've never seen before since I typically use the regular command prompt. I'm really worried because this has never happened to me before, and my system has also been running significantly slower over the past few weeks. Could all of this be related?
3 Answers
It sounds like your machine might be compromised. Those random tabs could be a way to spy on your location. I recommend wiping and reinstalling your system, especially if this is a work PC. If it’s on your work network, inform your IT department right away.
If I recall correctly, Windows updates sometimes change the default terminal to PowerShell instead of the command prompt, and it could switch your default browser back to Edge too. Still, given the unusual activity, it’s better to be safe and back up your files, then start fresh.
I did update Windows a couple of weeks ago, so that might explain the change. It still feels sketchy, though.
Disconnect your PC from the Internet right away! After that, see what you can recover, but be cautious because anything could have been compromised. Once you’ve backed up what you need, wipe it clean and reinstall Windows before reconnecting online.
I was only gone for about 6 hours, and my PC goes to sleep after 2, so I’m really worried it might be fried.
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll definitely wipe it. Just to clarify, it’s my home gaming PC, not work-related.