How to remove shortcut virus from pendrive without losing data?

 

Are you facing a shortcut virus issue? We frequently give our pendrives to friends or use them on unknown systems, which may contain viruses that are transferred to your drive. So, in this article, I will explain how to remove shortcut viruses from a pen drive without losing data.

Let's know about shortcut Virus what exactly it is?

 

The shortcut virus turns each file into a link. Shortcut Virus spreads via pen drives, the Internet, third-party software, etc. and creates a duplicate of your original files and folders. This means that when you do clicking on those files to open them, the virus multiplies and installs more viruses and malicious software, The logic behind transforming the folder into links is that this virus hides the original folders/files on the same removable media and creates the link with the same name.

Shortcut virus can be a combination of Trojan or worm that hides all of your files and folders then this virus replace the files and folders that you have on your drive with shortcuts that look precisely the same.

This virus is so smart that most portable antivirus software can't detect it either. Or if somehow they find out or eliminate it, somehow it manages to recover.

When USB drive gets infected by shortcut virus, all files become shortcuts, and also the actual information becomes inaccessible.

If your flash drive additionally contains the virus, 1st eliminate the virus from the flash drive. Once the virus is off from the flash drive, the info is accessible also make a copy of this information to a secure location on your pc, format the device in native Disk Manager, reload the info back onto the USB drive and disconnect it. 

Here’s the way to remove shortcut virus from Pendrive

> Insert your infected pen drive or USB stick.

> Open CMD ( Command Prompt ) in admin mode.

> Type: attrib -h -r -s /s /d D:\*.* and hit Enter. (In place of 'D:' Put you drive letter, rest type as it is.)

> After running above command Type: "del autorun.inf" and hit Enter.

The "attrib" command is used to display system files, read-only files, hidden attributes, etc. of the particular device you are using for. 

Below is the list of commands used with attrib with a brief idea of why these commands are used.

* "/s", This command set attributes to all files and folders of the current directory & subdirectories.

* "-r", This command changes the file from read-only to normal. You can change, delete, or read it.

* "-s", This command is used to turn off system attributes.

* "-h", This command is used to turn off hidden attributes.

* "/d", This command is used to include directories.

Note: If you don't want to waste time with commands or if you are not a technology expert, then you still have the option to remove the virus using antivirus software. It is the fastest and easiest way to remove any kind of virus from your pen drive, computer, or laptop. Download any trial version of antivirus software & scan your system in case of windows 10 defender (Windows security) is enough.

Precautions that must be taken to prevent the virus from infecting:

> Disable autorun so that Pendrive doesn't run automatically.

> Search or scan for viruses before using Pendrive.

> Do not use Pendrive on public or unknown computers.

> Don't surf malicious websites or download content from not so trusted sources.

> Always keep your antivirus up to date.