Help removing malware

Take action now - your computer has been infected and your identity is at risk from online fraud. Our Security, Trust & Safety Team may have recently contacted you by letter following detection of malware on the broadband line you have with BT.....

Our Security, Trust & Safety team may have contacted you after detecting malware associated with your broadband line. This page explains what malware is, how to remove it, and what to do next.

Take action now - your computer has been infected and your identity is at risk from online fraud. Our Security, Trust & Safety Team may have recently contacted you by letter following detection of malware on the broadband line you have with BT.....

What malware is

Malware is harmful software that can damage your device, steal personal information or give criminals access to your system.

This includes:

• viruses.
• worms.
• trojans.
• spyware.
• adware.

Take action now - your computer has been infected and your identity is at risk from online fraud. Our Security, Trust & Safety Team may have recently contacted you by letter following detection of malware on the broadband line you have with BT.....

How to protect yourself from malware

Malware often exploits weaknesses in operating systems and software. You can reduce the risk by following these steps:

• Keep your operating system up to date.
• Make sure antivirus software updates automatically.
• Avoid shutting down your computer completely, as sleep or hibernation can prevent updates from installing.

Install Cyber Threat Protect antivirus software.

You can also find independent advice on staying safe online at www.getsafeonline.org.

Take action now - your computer has been infected and your identity is at risk from online fraud. Our Security, Trust & Safety Team may have recently contacted you by letter following detection of malware on the broadband line you have with BT.....

How to remove malware

If you already have Cyber Threat Protect installed, malware is unlikely to have infected any device where it is installed. To be sure, run a full scan on each device:

1. Open Cyber Threat Protect on your device.
2. Select Full scan.
3. Leave the scan running until it completes.
4. Follow any onscreen steps if a threat is found.

A full scan can take a few hours to complete, depending on the device and how much data it stores.

Once the scan is complete, keep Cyber Threat Protect switched on and up to date. This helps remove existing threats and protects your devices from future ones.

Find out more about Cyber Threat Protect.

Take action now - your computer has been infected and your identity is at risk from online fraud. Our Security, Trust & Safety Team may have recently contacted you by letter following detection of malware on the broadband line you have with BT.....

What to do if you’ve been infected

If malware has infected one or more devices, we recommend taking the steps below. If you’re unsure how to do this, seek help from a qualified professional.

We are not responsible for any damage or loss of data that may occur during this process.

1. Turn off your Wi‑Fi and unplug any Ethernet cables.
2. Safely format or replace disk drives and reinstall the operating system.
3. Connect the device to a clean network to download and update the operating system and software.
4. Install, update and run anti-virus software.
5. Reconnect to your network.
6. Monitor network traffic and run scans to check no infection remains.
7. Immediately disconnect any devices that show signs of infection.

Lost money or personal data?

If you think you’ve lost money because of malware, report it at www.actionfraud.police.uk.