Overcoming Malware: My Journey to Remove “Great Discover” and Ensure My Online Safety

In a world increasingly dependent on technology, the threat of malware looms large. This past week, I faced a challenging situation when I discovered my computer had been infected with a pesky trojan known as “Great Discover.” Having dealt with viruses in the past, I was unprepared for the specific challenges that trojans present. As someone who lacks a deep understanding of antivirus software and scanning processes, I found myself in unfamiliar territory. However, I documented my experience in case it might assist someone else facing similar troubles.

The Start of My Troubles

It all began one unsuspecting morning. A new program appeared in my system tray, which I quickly recognized as suspicious. My first instinct was to investigate further. Upon clicking on the program, a pop-up prompted me to uninstall it but required me to solve a nearly impossible captcha. After some research, I discovered that this program was indeed malware, specifically designed for cryptocurrency mining—something I had little knowledge about.

Taking Action: My Steps to Recovery

Determined to regain control, I took several steps to secure my system:

1. Browser Cleanup: I started by clearing my browser history entirely and restoring my browser settings to their default state. I then reviewed my browser extensions, removing any that I did not recognize.

2. File Deletion: Next, I navigated to C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86) to delete multiple folders with names that looked unfamiliar to me. I had no idea some of these folders had been created months prior.

3. Programs Overview: Following that, I accessed the Control Panel to scrutinize the list of programs installed on my computer, uninstalling anything that seemed out of place.

4. Malware Scanning: To ensure thorough cleaning, I downloaded Malwarebytes and initiated a full system scan. The first scan identified one potential threat, which I quarantined and subsequently removed. After another scan yielded no results, I proceeded with Kaspersky’s virus removal tool, which also confirmed my system was clear.

5. Task Manager Evaluation: I opened Task Manager to investigate any processes consuming excessive system resources and found no immediate issues. Meanwhile, the malicious program had vanished from my tray.

6. Security Check: To verify my system’s integrity, I accessed the Windows hosts file using the command `notepad %windir%