How to deal with malware

What to do if you think your device has been compromised

  1. Stay calm
  2. Take a photo or a screenshot of all unusual messages you see
  3. Disconnect the device from the Internet
    • Disconnect the Ethernet cable
    • Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
  4. Disconnect external storage devices
  5. Start a full computer scan with your antivirus software
  6. In the case of a company device, inform your IT department

If the device is a company device, your IT department will take care of the rest. If the device is a personal device, you should continue with the steps below.

  1. Remove all malware found by the antivirus software
  2. Run Norton Power Eraser or Norton Bootable Recovery Tool
  3. Copy all important files to an external hard drive or to the cloud
  4. Run a full virus scan for the backup target (external hard drive or cloud)
    • This is to ensure that the malware does not come back when you restore the files
  5. Wipe the computer and reinstall the operating system, antivirus software and other software

What to do if you think your account has been compromised

  1. Stay calm
  2. Take a photo or a screenshot of all unusual messages you see
  3. Change your password
  4. If you are not already using multi-factor authentication, set it up
  5. Check your account settings and logs for any unusual entries, including unusual login locations, devices and email forwarding rules
  6. In the case of a company account, inform your IT department

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