ANTÍDOTO Security

Resource center

ANTÍDOTO KNOWLEDGE BASE

Understand the symptom before taking action.

Practical guides for shortcut malware, hidden files, recurring USB infections and the indicators observed during ANTÍDOTO development.

WindowsUSBHDD / SSDFree diagnosis
01Diagnosis

Shortcut virus: what it is, why it returns and how to remove it

When folders and documents are replaced by shortcuts, the problem may be on the external drive, in Windows, or both. The first goal is…

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02Before formatting

USB drive full of shortcuts: what to do before formatting

If your USB drive turned into shortcuts and files seem to have disappeared, formatting immediately can destroy useful data without fixing the source of…

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03File recovery

Hidden files on a USB drive: why they disappear and what to do

The drive still shows used space, but folders are gone? USB malware can change file attributes and hide legitimate content without necessarily deleting it.

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04Reinfection

Does the virus return after formatting a USB drive? Here is why

If a USB drive is formatted, appears clean, and turns into shortcuts again after connecting to the same PC, the source may be Windows.

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05Windows + USB

How to tell whether Windows is reinfecting USB drives

When different removable drives become affected after passing through the same computer, Windows is worth investigating as a possible source of reinfection.

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06Recovery

How to recover files hidden by USB malware

If malware hid your documents, the goal is to restore visibility without running suspicious shortcuts or destroying the original data.

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07Known indicator

USB-Explorer.exe: what it is and how ANTÍDOTO identifies it

USB-Explorer.exe is a filename observed in the malicious USB infection pattern analyzed during ANTÍDOTO development. The filename alone is not a classification.

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08Persistence indicator

GPLControl.exe: Windows persistence and reinfection

GPLControl.exe was observed in the real infection pattern that led to ANTÍDOTO, associated with startup persistence in Windows.

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