Last night I faced a warning from Windows Defender about a Trojan, specifically Trojan:Win32/Kepavll!rfn, while trying to download a program for converting movie files into GIFs. I quickly removed the file and completed both a full and offline scan on my laptop. To be cautious, I took my laptop offline during the cleanup. I also ran a command prompt with the /scannow command to repair any potential damage and changed a bunch of my important passwords, which took me four hours. I'm really worried my financial information might have been compromised since I didn't change all my passwords immediately. Some of my important accounts are stored online and I changed the passwords for those, but it took me a while to get to them. I'm unable to back up or restore my system and don't want to risk installing paid antivirus software right now. I also can't afford to take my laptop to a specialist, so I'm reaching out for advice on how to ensure my laptop is safe to use again. The potentially harmful file was from a site offering a Movie to GIF converter, and I had a lot of Firefox tabs open that displayed sensitive information. Any suggestions?
2 Answers
You're probably in the clear if Windows Defender flagged it before you even ran the file. Just make sure you've deleted everything related to that download. If you didn't actually execute the file, your laptop should be safe. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to do a second virus scan, just to be sure. If you can find a free antivirus solution, that might help ease your worries.
It might be better to ask this in a tech support community where people focus on resolving issues like yours. But since you've already scanned and taken precautions, you're likely okay. Just avoid using potentially harmful sites in the future. Maybe consider using a more secure browser setup to minimize risk. Good luck!
Good point! I'll definitely stick to safer browsing habits moving forward.
Thanks! That’s reassuring. I'll look for a free antivirus just for peace of mind.