Locate the re-occurrence of Malware and remove it.

Using your knowledge of the persistent threat you have created:

List ALL the steps you would need to do to remove the malware from the system and prevent its return.

1.     Locate the scheduled task and delete it.

o         Open Task Scheduler by pressing Win + R, typing taskschd.msc, and pressing Enter.

o         Navigate to the Task Scheduler Library.

o         Find the task named “download eicar” or any suspicious task.

o         Right-click on the task and select Disable.

o         Right-click on the task again and select Delete.

2.     Unhide and delete the hidden directory.

o         Open Command Prompt as Administrator by pressing Win + X and selecting Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).

o         Run the command to unhide the directory: attrib -h -s c:\hidden

o         Run the command to delete the directory: rmdir /s /q c:\hidden

3.     Remove Windows Defender exclusions.

o         Open PowerShell as Administrator.

o         List the exclusions: Get-MpPreference | Select-Object -ExpandProperty ExclusionPath

o         Remove the exclusion for c:\hidden if it exists: Remove-MpPreference -ExclusionPath c:\hidden

4.     Delete any suspicious files downloaded by the task.

o         Check the directory for any remaining files and delete them manually if necessary.

5.     Perform a full system scan with Windows Defender.

o         Open Windows Security by pressing Win + I, selecting Update & Security, and then Windows Security.

o         Select Virus & threat protection and then Quick scan. For a thorough check, choose Full scan.

6.     Update all software and security definitions.

o         Ensure

o         Update all installed software and ensure the operating system is up to date by checking Windows Update in Settings.

7.     Monitor the system for any unusual behavior.

o         Regularly check Task Scheduler for any new or suspicious tasks.

o         Keep an eye on network traffic and system performance for any anomalies.

8.     Implement additional security measures.

o         Consider using a reputable third-party antivirus program for additional protection.

o         Enable and configure a firewall to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic.

9.     Educate users about safe browsing and downloading practices.

o         Train users to recognize phishing attempts and avoid downloading files from untrusted sources.

o         Implement policies for regular security training and awareness.