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I installed Firefox using a download site, rather than the correct site.

After running and installing Firefox I noticed my Chrome had an addon called Swift Browser added to it by a third party. After thinking about what I downloaded recently, Firefox came to mind and when I checked the link again I realized my mistake.

Malwarebytes removed 5 things, then using "add or remove" programs I uninstalled Firefox.

I would like to know any other steps I should take or what I should be expecting.

I ran ADWcleaner on advice from a friend. Another thing was removed running HitmanPro 3.7.8.

Hitman Pro removed a few trackers.

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1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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When compromised you should re-install your machine completely. There is no way of knowing for sure that nothing else has been compromised.

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  • 2
    Take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
    – Shadur-don't-feed-the-AI
    Commented Nov 30, 2013 at 15:23
  • Friend recommended to me getting a new hard drive to. Should I go that far or just a new copy of windows?
    – user2860737
    Commented Nov 30, 2013 at 18:10
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    @user2860737 Getting a new harddrive seems like a very excessive action. A fresh install of your OS will do.
    – Simon
    Commented Nov 30, 2013 at 18:12
  • I usually recommend getting a new hard drive in these situations. It's not for security (unless you fear being infected by one of the NSA hard drive firmware viruses), but for practicality. Hard drives are cheap nowadays. It's just as easy to reinstall Windows on a new hard disk as on the original, but if you use a new disk, you still have the original one and can (carefully to avoid reinfecting!) copy your old files over.
    – Kevin Keane
    Commented Jun 6, 2015 at 18:42
  • @KevinKeane Not saying it is impossible but it would be very hard for a virus to survive a new install if the filesystem is formatted and recreated. The same could be said that it is unknown if the virus infected the BIOs or GPU (which is possible). But realistically I am not going to buy another motherboard or video card.
    – Bacon Brad
    Commented Jul 20, 2016 at 20:04

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