A user's home system has been infected with malware. A technician has isolated the system from the network and disabled System Restore. Which of the following should the technician do next?

The question describes the initial steps of the CompTIA A+ seven-step malware removal best practice procedure. The technician has completed Step 2 (Quarantine the infected system) and Step 3 (Disable System Restore). The immediate next action is Step 4: Remediate the infected systems. This step begins with updating the anti-malware software definitions (if possible from a clean, external source) and then performing a full antivirus scan to detect and remove the malicious software. This makes performing an antivirus scan the correct subsequent action.

B. Run Windows updates. This is part of Step 5 in the malware removal process, which is performed only after the system has been successfully cleaned.

C. Reimage the system. This is a method of remediation used as a last resort if scanning and manual removal are unsuccessful or if the system integrity is too compromised.

D. Enable System Restore. This is Step 6, which is done after the system is confirmed to be clean, to create a new, uninfected restore point.

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1. Academic Courseware: Docter

Q.

& Dulaney

E. (2022). CompTIA A+ Complete Study Guide: Core 1 Exam 220-1101 and Core 2 Exam 220-1102 (5th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Reference: Chapter 21

"Security

" under the section "Best Practice Procedure for Malware Removal

" outlines the seven steps. Step 4

"Remediate the infected systems

" explicitly states to "run a scan with your antimalware software." This follows directly after Step 2 (Quarantine) and Step 3 (Disable System Restore).

2. Vendor Documentation: Microsoft Corporation. (2023). Remove malware from your Windows PC. Microsoft Support.

Reference: In the section "How do I remove malware like a virus?"

the primary recommended action after identifying a threat is to use security software like Microsoft Defender Antivirus to "scan for and remove threats." This aligns with performing a scan as the core remediation step.

3. University IT Publication: Indiana University. (2024

January 18). What are viruses

worms

and Trojan horses? University Information Technology Services Knowledge Base.

Reference: In the section "What to do if you suspect an infection

" the guide advises to "Run a full scan of your system with up-to-date antivirus software." This is presented as a primary action for remediation after initial containment measures.