Immediate Steps to Take After a Hack
Discovering your PC has been hacked can be stressful, but taking swift, methodical action can minimize the damage. Your primary goals are to contain the threat, remove it, and secure your accounts.
Table of Contents
1. Disconnect from the Internet
Immediately disconnect your computer from the network to prevent the attacker from causing further harm. You can do this by unplugging the Ethernet cable or turning off your Wi-Fi. This stops any ongoing data transfer to or from the hacker’s server.
2. Run an Offline Security Scan
Since the hacker may have installed software to evade detection, a standard antivirus scan might not be enough. Use the Microsoft Defender Offline scan for a more robust check.
- Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security.
- Select Virus & threat protection > Scan options.
- Choose Microsoft Defender Offline scan and click Scan now.
Your computer will restart and perform a deep scan before Windows loads, making it harder for malware to hide.
3. Change Your Passwords
From a different, trusted device (like your smartphone), change the passwords for your most critical accounts immediately. Start with:
- Your primary email account.
- Your Microsoft account password.
- Banking and financial accounts.
- Social media accounts.
4. Check Financial Accounts and Report a Breach
Review your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions. Report the security breach to your financial institutions. They can help you freeze accounts and reverse fraudulent charges.
5. Consider a System Reset
For maximum security and peace of mind, the most effective way to ensure all malicious software is gone is to reset your PC. Windows 11 has a ‘Reset this PC’ feature that allows you to reinstall the operating system. You can choose to keep your personal files, but for the best result, you should consider a full wipe. You can find this in Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC.
More Topics
- How to Reset or Perform a Fresh Start in Windows 11
- How to Manage Your Privacy Settings in Windows 11
- A Guide to Essential Windows 11 Maintenance Tools
- How to Create and Use a Windows 11 Recovery Drive
- How to Manage Power Options in Windows 11
- How to Automatically Free Up Space with Storage Sense
- How to Configure and Improve the Windows 11 Firewall
