USB flash drives can be infected with malicious files. They may have a virus and other varieties of malware if, for example, you have connected it to a public computer. Also in case you left it to someone and their computer is infected. Whatever the case, it is important to act correctly and avoid problems. In this article, we are going to talk to you about why emptying it is not always enough.
We are also going to give you some recommendations on what you should do. The goal is to make that pendrive safe again. Maybe you want to use it in your daily life, you need to store an important document, etc. Acting correctly will be key to preventing it from infecting others.
Emptying it doesn’t always help
The first thing you may think about is emptying the pendrive. Basically, it consists of deleting the folders or files that it may have inside. Maybe one of those was the virus that caused the problem. But of course, previously that pendrive could have been connected to the computer, so it could have transferred that malware.
It may also happen that there are hidden files. Even if you delete the visible content, there are files that are not visible and can also act in a negative way. For example, execute code on the computer, start collecting information, connect to a server controlled by the attackers, etc.
On the other hand, there is what is known as persistent malware. They affect the device’s memory and are not easily removed. Even if you delete the files that supposedly have the malware, it does not mean that it will stop affecting that drive. Therefore, you are going to need something more than that to eliminate the problem.
To do
So what should you do? Something fundamental is to isolate that unit. It is important to prevent it from infecting other equipment, such as your computer. You can start it in a safe environment, such as a Linux distribution prepared to analyze that pendrive, without posing a risk.
You should also completely format the drive. You will not eliminate the virus by deleting a file, if it is hidden malware. Therefore, by performing a complete format, you can eliminate, at least in many cases, the root problem. Of course, keep in mind that you could lose content.
Another point to keep in mind is that you should do an analysis of the systems where you have used that pendrive. You may have transferred the malware without realizing it, by connecting that USB, or that PC or device where you have connected it, is the source of the problem and that is where the malware comes from.
In short, if you have a pendrive infected with malware, simply deleting files will not always solve the problem. You may have to take one more step, such as isolating the unit, carefully checking other devices where you have connected it, and completely formatting that pendrive. Only in this way will you eliminate the virus completely and prevent it from infecting other systems without realizing it.
