I recently discovered something alarming on my computer. When I turned it on, my lock screen showed a weather widget that I've never used before, and it displayed the weather for my city. This was unsettling because I hadn't enabled any location services for my Microsoft account or on my PC. To check it out, I clicked the edit widget option, which led me to my account settings. There, I noticed a strange message in the "system type" field that read: "Soda has been looking thru your passwords ;)". This really freaked me out! I immediately ran a full antivirus scan, changed all my passwords, and checked my event viewer for any suspicious activity, though I'm not sure what I should be looking for. The scan found 4 malware files, which I deleted, and now I'm in the process of resetting all my account passwords, planning a factory reset of my PC, and looking to spoof my MAC address.
I'm wondering why the hacker did this and how they even accessed my location services, considering I use a VPN and am cautious about downloading anything. Are there specific things I should look for in the Windows registry or event viewer? What additional steps do people recommend to ensure my security? I'm under the impression that altering the system type field requires full admin access to make modifications to system files.
3 Answers
If this is a desktop and not a laptop, GPS hasn't factored in, but you can still be located via your public IP. That information can give a general idea of your location through your ISP. If you can, sharing a screenshot of that strange message might help others give you more accurate advice.
It's tough to know why hackers do what they do, but if you’re really worried, a clean install of Windows might be the best way to go. Just make sure to back up your files properly so you don’t transfer anything malicious to the new system. Some users recommend scanning your backup USB with good antivirus software before you use it.
Factory resetting might not be enough—reinstalling Windows from a USB stick is usually more effective. And don't worry about spoofing your MAC address; it's unnecessary in this case.
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