According to the CompTIA malware removal process, the final step after all technical remediation is complete is to educate the end user. This is a critical preventative measure. The technician should explain how the infection likely occurred (e.g., phishing email, malicious download) and provide guidance on how to avoid similar incidents in the future. This empowers the user and helps secure the environment against reinfection, making it the most important subsequent action after the system is technically clean.

A. Performing a secondary antivirus scan is part of the remediation step itself to ensure the malware is gone, not a step taken after cleanup is complete.

C. Reimaging is a method of remediation, often used when cleanup is unsuccessful or impractical. It is not a post-cleanup step.

D. Reviewing system logs is part of the initial identification and research phase of the malware removal process, used to understand the scope of the infection.

1. Souppaya, M., & Scarfone, K. (2013). Guide to Malware Incident Prevention and Handling for Desktops and Laptops. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Special Publication 800-83 Rev. 1. Section 4.3, "Post-Incident Activity," p. 4-10. (This section emphasizes that a key post-incident activity is creating a follow-up report and educating users to prevent future incidents.)

2. University of California, Berkeley Information Security Office. (2022). Malware Removal. Retrieved from https://security.berkeley.edu/faq/malware-removal. (This university guide outlines the steps for malware removal, concluding with the importance of user education to prevent recurrence.)