A deep Malwarebytes scan found nothing, but a full scan with the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool reported and removed Trojan:Win64/Emotet.LK!MTB. I recently dealt with a compromise, changed my passwords, reset the computer, and created a new Microsoft account, so I'm worried about having to repeat everything. Does the removal mean the system is safe, or should I take additional steps?
3 Answers
If the computer has already been compromised, the safest approach is to back up only personal documents, securely wipe the system drive, and perform a clean Windows installation from official installation media. A normal reset may not be enough in every situation. After reinstalling, fully update Windows and your applications before restoring files.
Change important passwords from a known-clean device, enable multifactor authentication, revoke active sessions, and review recovery email addresses and other account settings. Don’t restore unknown programs or cracked software, since that could reinfect the machine. Also keep in mind that different scanners use different detection methods, so one clean result doesn’t necessarily contradict another tool finding something.
The tool reporting that it removed the detection is a good sign, but it doesn’t prove that every trace is gone or that account credentials are safe. Run another scan with an up-to-date security tool, check startup items and browser extensions, and monitor your accounts for unusual activity. If you see more detections or suspicious behavior, go with a clean reinstall instead of relying on repeated scans.
So a successful removal doesn’t automatically guarantee that nothing else is at risk?
That’s what I did previously, including creating a new Microsoft account after the old one was compromised. I was hoping the detection had been completely dealt with this time.