Question Windows Defender claims there is a "threat" when there isn't one

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TheFlash1300

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Mar 15, 2022
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Hello. Today i downloaded an archive that was infected with Trojan horses. Windows Defender showed there is a virus and offered me the option to delete the virus. However, instead of using the Windows Defender option to delete the virus, i opened the USB drive where the archive was, and deleted the archive manually - right-click on the file -> delete.

When i deleted the file, the threat notification didn't disappear.

View: https://imgur.com/SezUUdG


When i click on "See threat details", i get this:

View: https://imgur.com/bu6VkJl


Below the text shown in the image above, there is the path to the threat file. The problem is that the file no longer exists, because i deleted it. As i said, the file was on a USB drive - and the threat notification is present even now, when the USB drive is not connected to the computer.

When i click on "Actions" -> "Remove", nothing happens, because the file no longer exists. Windows Defender asks me if i want to delete the threat. When i click "Yes", nothing happens, the button "Remove" just gets reset to "Actions", because there is nothing to be deleted, which is why Windows Defender can't execute the process of deletion.

There is a red X on Defender's icon, too:
View: https://imgur.com/VqL2Bzm


Can someone tell me how to fix the problem? I tried to clear the log of Operational in:

Event Viewer -> Applications and Services log -> Microsoft -> Windows -> Windows Defender - Operational

But it didn't work.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
Because at least the file name (or parts of it) still exists in the file allocation table, and in the Defender log.

If you had let Defender deal with it, you wouldn't be here with this question.

On to the deeper problem....why are you downloading things that are all virused up?
You need to be much more selective in what you do.
 

TheFlash1300

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Mar 15, 2022
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Because at least the file name (or parts of it) still exists in the file allocation table, and in the Defender log.

If you had let Defender deal with it, you wouldn't be here with this question.

On to the deeper problem....why are you downloading things that are all virused up?
You need to be much more selective in what you do.
So, where is the file? The USB drive is empty and disconnected from the computer. What is the Defender log, do i have to clear it? If yes, where can i find the log?

I let the Defender deal, but it got stuck. Getting "stuck" is the favorite thing of "Defender" and "Updates & Security".

When i clicked on "Remove", the Defender started working and said "Feel free to keep working while we take action", and the spinning-in-a-circle points continued spinning, and never stopped. The infected file was just 348 kilobytes, but the Defender was deleting it for more than 10 minutes. I closed the Defender after 10 minutes, because i realized it got stuck.

"On to the deeper problem....why are you downloading things that are all virused up?
You need to be much more selective in what you do. "


I didn't know the file was infected. The description of the archive said the archive is clear. Also, i don't know if the file was really infected or it was just false positive.
 

TheFlash1300

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Mar 15, 2022
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Dare I ask what this file was you downloaded?
I downloaded Counter-Strike: Source from "Steam Unlocked". I wanted to test the game, so i can decide whether or not it's worth buying it for my profile in Steam.

The .exe file that starts the game was the file flagged as infected.

View: https://imgur.com/a/S3b8jMm


By the way, the problem with the non-disappearing threat notification is fixed now.

I remember i downloaded the same archive some time ago - back then, the Defender didn't show any threat notifications.
 
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