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Welcome to the Am I Infected? area.
Unlike our locked-down Malware Removal section, this area is open to all members who wish to offer or receive help with general security and protection topics.
Please note: all advice shared here is subject to review, modification, or removal by the PCHF Malware Response Team or Moderators to ensure accuracy and safety.
✅ What’s Allowed
We encourage constructive participation and helpful guidance.
You may freely provide or discuss:
💡 Goal: Keep your advice general, educational, and non-invasive — helping users stay safe without risking data loss.
🚫 What’s Not Allowed
For security reasons, the following actions and instructions are not permitted outside the official Malware Removal section unless specifically authorized by a Malware Response Team Leader or Administrator:
These tools are powerful and can cause irreversible system damage if misused.
Only trained malware analysts are authorized to deploy or instruct their use.
💡 Note: This list may be updated at any time as tools evolve.
⚠️ Why We Enforce This Policy
Improper use of advanced malware removal tools can severely damage Windows systems — corrupting user data, breaking essential services, or even rendering the device unbootable.
By keeping advanced tools restricted to trained experts, we protect both users and helpers from unnecessary risk.
The PCHF Malware Response Team follows standardized, vetted removal procedures to ensure safe, verifiable results.
💙 Thank You
We appreciate your willingness to help fellow members stay secure online.
By following these guidelines, you help maintain PCHF’s reputation for safe, professional, and trusted malware assistance.
If you have questions about these policies or wish to join the Malware Response Team, please contact Management or a Team Lead.
Unlike our locked-down Malware Removal section, this area is open to all members who wish to offer or receive help with general security and protection topics.
Please note: all advice shared here is subject to review, modification, or removal by the PCHF Malware Response Team or Moderators to ensure accuracy and safety.
✅ What’s Allowed
We encourage constructive participation and helpful guidance.
You may freely provide or discuss:
- General security advice and prevention tips
- Preliminary or diagnostic scans (non-destructive only)
- Discussions about anti-virus, anti-malware, and protection software
- System tweaks or OS setting changes that improve performance or security
- Use of common, safe utilities for troubleshooting (e.g., Malwarebytes, ESET Online Scanner, Windows Defender, etc.)
💡 Goal: Keep your advice general, educational, and non-invasive — helping users stay safe without risking data loss.
🚫 What’s Not Allowed
For security reasons, the following actions and instructions are not permitted outside the official Malware Removal section unless specifically authorized by a Malware Response Team Leader or Administrator:
- Running or instructing others to use ComboFix
- Creating or posting FRST fix scripts
- Manual or custom AdwCleaner clean-up instructions
- Use or discussion of Zoek
- Manual rootkit removal of any kind
- Registry cleaners or advanced registry modification scripts
- Batch files, PowerShell, or custom cleanup scripts
These tools are powerful and can cause irreversible system damage if misused.
Only trained malware analysts are authorized to deploy or instruct their use.
💡 Note: This list may be updated at any time as tools evolve.
⚠️ Why We Enforce This Policy
Improper use of advanced malware removal tools can severely damage Windows systems — corrupting user data, breaking essential services, or even rendering the device unbootable.
By keeping advanced tools restricted to trained experts, we protect both users and helpers from unnecessary risk.
The PCHF Malware Response Team follows standardized, vetted removal procedures to ensure safe, verifiable results.
💙 Thank You
We appreciate your willingness to help fellow members stay secure online.
By following these guidelines, you help maintain PCHF’s reputation for safe, professional, and trusted malware assistance.
If you have questions about these policies or wish to join the Malware Response Team, please contact Management or a Team Lead.
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