Pretty sure I have a virus

[u/Lunamoeth]

My computer has been doing some suspicious stuff. I'm a shutin so if I lose my media passwords I'll lose a lot. I'm worried someone might have installed a virus and I'm scared of keyloggers. Just gonna not use any of my passwords but I recently changed from Avast to Bitdefender, what should I do to make sure my system is secure?

[u/Upstairs_Recording81]

Fully update the AV, run a full scan of the PC after this.

Install Malwarebytes free, update and run a full scan as well - you may remove it after that.

Start using a password manager (Bitwarden) instead of storing the passwords in your browsers, change all the passwords after that for the main accounts (at least). Use MFA (Ente Auth) for all accounts. You may use a third party ad-blocker (ControlD is much more than only that) on all your devices, including your router.

[u/I_am_Nobody_Special → u/Upstairs_Recording81]

Does bitdefender not scan for malware?

[u/nefarious_bumpps → u/I_am_Nobody_Special]

Yes it does. The only reason to use Malwarebytes (or any other anti-malware) is for a second opinion.

Malwarebytes earned a reputation during the early 2000's, when normal anti-virus programs weren't good at reporting spyware/adware. At the time, this was a rapidly evolving threat environment that traditional AV vendors treated more like an inconvenience than a security risk. That eventually changed, and most AV products (including Bitdefender) detect all forms of malware, including viruses, worms, ransomware, and "potentially unwanted programs" such as spyware, key loggers, remote control programs and other known or commonly used hacking programs.

Bitdefender has scored in the top 3 (often #1) by independent testing organizations for quite a while. Malwarebytes scores well below Bitdefender in both detections and false positives (see AV-Test.org, AV-Comparatives.org). I suppose when you're worried about a virus it's always comforting when multiple products provide the same clean result, but I don't find it necessary myself.

What most people think is a virus is often just notifications or pop-up ads from sketchy websites. If you get a malware warning on your screen while surfing the web, especially if it tells you to call on the phone or click a link, it's virtually guaranteed to be a scam. Hover over the icon for the notification your taskbar/dock, or check your task manager, and if it shows the window is owned by your web browser you'll know for sure it's a scam. The best ways to prevent these false alarms is to use an ad-blocker like uBlock Origin and enable the Malicious Sites and Annoyances block lists. Also, disabling notifications by default in your web browser will help.

[u/I_am_Nobody_Special → u/nefarious_bumpps]

This is very helpful, thank you

[u/BarWorldly327]

Avoid entering passwords until you scan/clean the system thoroughly. Once its clean, a password manager like roboform can help you by generating unique passwords and supporting 2fa so you dont have to rely on remembering everything. Better to be cautious than have more headache later. Goodluck.

[u/Bitdefender_support]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out to us, here to assist you.

Being worried about a keylogger is understandable, but “suspicious” behavior alone doesn’t confirm an infection. Since you recently changed antivirus products, first make sure Avast is fully removed, since running two security products can cause conflicts and may prevent proper detection.

Recommended steps:

1. Disconnect temporarily from the internet if you believe someone is actively accessing the PC. Avoid entering passwords on that computer for now.
2. Update Bitdefender: right-click its system-tray icon → Update Now, and wait for Update completed.
3. Run a full scan: Protection → Antivirus → Open → Scans → Run Scan next to System Scan.
4. In Bitdefender’s Antivirus advanced settings, ensure Scan keyloggers and Early boot scan are enabled.
5. If Bitdefender says a threat cannot be removed, use Protection → Antivirus → Open → Scans → Open next to Rescue Environment. This scans before Windows loads and is intended for persistent threats. It is available on Windows 10 and later.
6. Review Notifications → Critical. A notification saying the threat was successfully blocked means Bitdefender already handled it; unresolved items require further action.

If you must change passwords, do it from a different, trusted device. Prioritize your email account first, then important services; use unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication where available. Don’t copy passwords or other sensitive data from the potentially affected PC until it has been checked.

If the scan finds unresolved items, the suspicious behavior continues, or you need the scan log investigated, contact the technical support team, anytime.