Account stolen, can't login on client after malware removal but I can on the website

[Cuju]

Someone tried to jack my account last night after I opened an email (I should have known better). I quickly changed my password, and they have not tried to do anything since. No other password changes or email changes, etc. Opening the email put a bunch of malware on my computer and I used malware bytes to have it removed, but since I originally opened the malicious email I can't seem to login on the client, it just says my password is incorrect.

What's unfortunate is I can't use any sort of account recovery protocol, such as proof of ownership, because I know my password is correct. So I'm at a loss of what to do here, if someone could help me that would be greatly appreciated.

[The Giving One]

We have to ask, but what steps did you take to ensure that you are in fact entering the correct password, because in the past, people sometimes made a simple mistake with a space in the text :

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/3211505894130954769/#c2798376099466160431

[Cuju]

Publicado originalmente por The Giving One:

We have to ask, but what steps did you take to ensure that you are in fact entering the correct password, because in the past, people sometimes made a simple mistake with a space in the text :

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/3211505894130954769/#c2798376099466160431

I wish that were the problem. I tried delete key on both of sides of the username and password. I've done the reinstall steam, delete blob, delete appcache, pretty much all of the solutions you see posted but nothing is working. I would like to think that if this hijacker had access to my account I wouldn't be able to sign in on the website.

[Muppet among Puppets]

Publicado originalmente por Cuju:

Publicado originalmente por The Giving One:

We have to ask, but what steps did you take to ensure that you are in fact entering the correct password, because in the past, people sometimes made a simple mistake with a space in the text :

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/3211505894130954769/#c2798376099466160431

I wish that were the problem. I tried delete key on both of sides of the username and password. I've done the reinstall steam, delete blob, delete appcache, pretty much all of the solutions you see posted but nothing is working. I would like to think that if this hijacker had access to my account I wouldn't be able to sign in on the website.

The access to the account might be your least problem.

I would not trust the computer in this state.

[The Giving One]

Yea, sorry for the later reply, and I have to agree with the good Muppet.

I see you said you did find some malware and removed it, but are you sure you got it all ?

It's best to use safe mode in Windows to scan using Malwarebytes, and you want to make sure you enable ALL scan options, including but not limited to keyloggers in the scan.

Go into the settings in Malwarebytes and set everything to enabled for the scan and use safe mode in Windows and scan it intensively again with a complete and full scan.

[Cuju]

Publicado originalmente por The Giving One:

Yea, sorry for the later reply, and I have to agree with the good Muppet.

I see you said you did find some malware and removed it, but are you sure you got it all ?

It's best to use safe mode in Windows to scan using Malwarebytes, and you want to make sure you enable ALL scan options, including but not limited to keyloggers in the scan.

Go into the settings in Malwarebytes and set everything to enabled for the scan and use safe mode in Windows and scan it intensively again with a complete and full scan.

I didn't know that was the most effective way to run the program, I'll go do that now, thank you.

[The Giving One]

Yea, the idea is, that in safe mode, only the most basic Windows drivers and services are loaded so if the malware is affecting your PC still, it's easier to find and quarantine if it is part of a program or process that is not being used because it is not so started in that boot.

Well, that's putting it in simple terms and others might be able to explain it better or correct me, but hopefully you get the idea.

In the end though, the rule is, just because you cannot find it, that does not mean it is not there.

If all else fails and you just have to be sure the PC is clean, a full reformat might be the way to go.

[Muppet among Puppets]

If scanners handle all infections, there would not be any.

And just an example:
What if a malware opens a legit function in windows for remote access. Thats not a malware to detect, but, you get the idea.

[Cuju]

Publicado originalmente por The Giving One:

Yea, the idea is, that in safe mode, only the most basic Windows drivers and services are loaded so if the malware is affecting your PC still, it's easier to find and quarantine if it is part of a program or process that is not being used because it is not so started in that boot.

Well, that's putting it in simple terms and others might be able to explain it better or correct me, but hopefully you get the idea.

In the end though, the rule is, just because you cannot find it, that does not mean it is not there.

If all else fails and you just have to be sure the PC is clean, a full reformat might be the way to go.

When I try to launch from safe mode it has me logging into windows through my outlook account, which I haven't touched in years and don't know the password to. Password recovery through outlook asks all sorts of information I don't know, like other passwords used with the account, emails contacted, etc., they won't let me reset the password because I don't have enough of that information.

Basically I can't use safe mode. It appears we're a stand still. Is there any other way to make sure I don't have anything malicious left on my PC?

[Muppet among Puppets]

Publicado originalmente por Cuju:

Basically I can't use safe mode. It appears we're a stand still. Is there any other way to make sure I don't have anything malicious left on my PC?

You cant even use safe mode?

I would not ask myself what to do now.

[Cuju]

Publicado originalmente por Muppet among Puppets:

Publicado originalmente por Cuju:

Basically I can't use safe mode. It appears we're a stand still. Is there any other way to make sure I don't have anything malicious left on my PC?

You cant even use safe mode?

I would not ask myself what to do now.

Not without the outlook password. You've been a great help though, thank you man. I'll see if I can figure it out.

[The Giving One]

If you cannot even boot Windows into safe mode, then from what you described above, there is still something very wrong. I think what the good Muppet was saying is, that it might be time for the reformat and to get it over with. I have to agree. Sorry, but that seems like what to do now, and we normally do not like to suggest that unless it is very necessary.

If you back up any important files or data, you need to be sure you don't accidentally back up the malware also. This can be a bit risky, depending on what you save as a backup if you decide to reformat.

[Cuju]

Publicado originalmente por The Giving One:

If you cannot even boot Windows into safe mode, then from what you described above, there is still something very wrong. I think what the good Muppet was saying is, that it might be time for the reformat and to get it over with. I have to agree. Sorry, but that seems like what to do now, and we normally do not like to suggest that unless it is very necessary.

If you back up any important files or data, you need to be sure you don't accidentally back up the malware also. This can be a bit risky, depending on what you save as a backup if you decide to reformat.

I was able to get into my account on the client now, but yeah I can't launch from safe mode because I don't have my outlook password. Does it really come down to launching from safe to run Malware Bytes or reformat?

[The Giving One]

Maybe there was some confusion.

First, Outlook has nothing to do with booting your PC into safe mode. Well, normally it should not.

Secondly, I suggested that you use safe mode to be sure all the malware is gone, but that is up to you. In the end, you have to decide if your PC is clean or not, as there is no way we can know that.

So using safe mode is the best course of action, but it's not certain, no. As was said, not all infections have cures such as scans for them to find them and quarantine them.

If you have Windows 10, this is how you boot into safe mode :

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/start-your-pc-in-safe-mode-in-windows-10-92c27cff-db89-8644-1ce4-b3e5e56fe234

I always prefer using the msconfig method.

[Cuju]

Publicado originalmente por The Giving One:

Maybe there was some confusion.

First, Outlook has nothing to do with booting your PC into safe mode. Well, normally it should not.

Secondly, I suggested that you use safe mode to be sure all the malware is gone, but that is up to you. In the end, you have to decide if your PC is clean or not, as there is no way we can know that.

So using safe mode is the best course of action, but it's not certain, no. As was said, not all infections have cures such as scans for them to find them and quarantine them.

If you have Windows 10, this is how you boot into safe mode :

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/start-your-pc-in-safe-mode-in-windows-10-92c27cff-db89-8644-1ce4-b3e5e56fe234

I always prefer using the msconfig method.

So now I can't get onto my computer at all, and I'm doing this from my phone. Launching from safe mode prompts me to get into windows through outlook, which I don't know the password to. I'm locked out of my computer now.

[Muppet among Puppets]

Try starting pc from being off, without internet connection.