Last night, I made a mistake and downloaded a suspicious-looking file that didn't open my intended program. I deleted it like usual, but then today, while watching a YouTube video, a new tab suddenly opened, and a long website URL started typing itself in the search bar. I got worried and immediately reset my computer, turned off the Wi-Fi, and set it to airplane mode. After that, I ran a virus scan which came back clean, logged out of my Google account, and shut down the computer. What are the next steps I should take? How long should I stay off my computer?
3 Answers
Just a heads up, but it’s not really 'hacking' per se. It’s more like you accidentally gave access to your computer. Think of it like letting someone with a key into your house – it’s a lesson learned for future downloads!
A factory reset should be enough to remove any potential threats since it erases everything and reinstalls the OS fresh. Just make sure to back up what you need beforehand!
If you think you might have malware, the safest bet is to wipe your hard drive and reinstall Windows from a USB drive. This way, you should be all clear. Just remember to be cautious with downloads in the future!
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