What should I do if I accidentally downloaded malware on my laptop?
Asked by
TechyTurtle99
I downloaded a game from a website onto my extra SSD and created a shortcut on my desktop. When I tried to open it, a Chrome-like tab popped up, translated from Russian. I didn't read the message and just closed it, but then a strange white tab was opening and closing, warning me about something harmful. I turned off my laptop but didn't disconnect it from Wi-Fi. I've already changed all my important passwords and enabled two-factor authentication on everything. What steps should I take next to secure my laptop?
Answers
It sounds like you didn't get fully hacked, but you might have run some malware. Besides changing passwords and using 2FA, you really should log out from all devices on any sites you've used. That software likely gave the hackers access to your session credentials, which means they can get into accounts without needing your passwords or 2FA.
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I’m really curious about where you found that game. I've downloaded games for years and haven’t run into any malware. What sites are you using? I’ve never triggered any alerts from my antivirus software or had any compromised accounts.
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To be safe, consider booting your laptop from a Linux live USB, like Ubuntu, to back up any important files you might have. After that, you should reinstall Windows from a USB, making sure to delete all existing partitions on your drives to wipe out anything malicious.
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CuriousCoder12: Would changing the passwords for my email accounts help stop that?
FastThinker88: If I shut down my laptop quickly after getting the popup, am I in the clear?