I left my Windows 11 laptop idle for about 5-10 minutes, and when I returned, I noticed my laptop was acting on its own. It navigated to the taskbar, opened Chrome, and pasted a strange code into the search bar, leading me to some sketchy sites. I shut it down immediately. I'm really worried since I was connected to my school WiFi and nothing was paired via Bluetooth. I haven't accessed any questionable websites in the six months I've had this $2000 gaming laptop. I'm looking for some advice on whether I might have a virus or remote access and what steps I should take next.
1 Answer
It sounds like someone may have gained remote access to your laptop. To fix this issue, I recommend doing a clean install of Windows. Use a USB drive and delete all the partitions on your system drive. There's a guide available that can help you through the process. Also, make sure to secure your online accounts—change your passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and check for any unauthorized access.
Absolutely! Just a heads-up, if you're syncing with OneDrive, most of your important files should be there, except for anything in your Downloads folder. Be cautious with any files you save from this potentially infected system—they could have introduced the virus. It's best to redownload any software directly from their official sites.