Member Avatar for gjeha

I have recently noticed a concerning event while working at my laptop. A box (like those that open when you donwload and install a program) opened very quickly, installed something and closed as quickly as it opened. It was not something I opened or downlaoded certainly not something I've ever experienced.
Later I started having problems like having my contact information oepning up while using microsoft outlook without me doing it. I would close the window but it would open again repeatedly.
I am concerned that someone has or is trying to take over my laptop. Is there anything I can do to chekc whether this is true and stop it. I have a firewall and antivirus software (both from CA associates) as well as a couple antispyware softwares. I ran all of them and could not find anything wrong, but weird things still occur while I work.
Anyone outthere can help?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by hbk619

Dani AI

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The behavior you describe — a very brief installer-like window that you did not launch, followed by Outlook repeatedly showing contact information — is a legitimate cause for concern but not definitive proof of a full remote takeover. It can be caused by malware, an unattended auto-update, a misbehaving Outlook add‑in or macro, or even a scheduled task. Because you already ran AV/antispyware with no clear result, treat the machine as potentially compromised and follow a cautious, methodical response.

Immediate steps to contain risk:

  • Disconnect the laptop from the network (unplug Ethernet and disable Wi‑Fi) to stop any possible remote access or data exfiltration.
  • Back up critical personal files to external media, copying only documents and photos (avoid executables). Scan those backups from a known-clean machine before reusing them.
  • If this is a work laptop, notify IT immediately rather than trying fixes alone.

Investigation and remediation (practical checklist):

  • Boot a rescue/clean-boot environment and run full scans from reputable vendors to detect rootkits or deeply hidden malware. Re-scanning while offline reduces risk of reinfection.
  • Inspect startup and scheduled items with tools like Autoruns and check running processes with Process Explorer; map network connections to PIDs (netstat) to spot unusual remote sessions.
  • For the Outlook symptom: launch Outlook in safe mode and disable all add‑ins, review rules and macros, and check the reading pane message preview behavior. A corrupt PST/OST or an add‑in can reopen panes automatically.
  • The quick online check suggested by can be a first hint; the HijackThis approach mentioned by is useful only to produce logs for analysis — do not apply automatic “fixes” without expert guidance.

If suspicious items persist after thorough cleaning, change all passwords from a clean device, fully update the OS and software, and consider a clean reinstall of the OS. If unsure, seek professional help or a reputable malware-removal community rather than paying unknown services.

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Member Avatar for zandiago

Please list the "wierd" things that are happening on your computer...please scan using the following website: http://www.pcflank.com/test.htm

After scan, it will let you know to some extent what area of your computer you need to check.

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