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A while back, µTorrent was flagged by Windows Defender as a low priority program with "potentially unwanted behavior" on my home desktop computer. I've since removed those files.

(https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/threats/malware-encyclopedia-description?name=App%3aUtorrent_BundleInstaller&threatid=290703).

Is it reasonable to assume that my work laptop that have shared a network with my home desktop computer might also be infected? If so, would using Window 10s Reset function remove those potential threats?

I have already performed a full scan with Windows Defender on the laptop I'm worried about and found no threats.

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    Infected with what, exactly? "Potentially unwanted behavior" detections are not really infections in the first place. Sep 22, 2021 at 7:57
  • Microsoft does not like any program that can be used for pirating, so they flag it as "Potentially" Unwanted Behavior.
    – Moab
    Sep 22, 2021 at 16:12

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As user1686 says, "Potentially unwanted behavior" doesn't necessarily mean your system has been infected by actual malware. It just means that your malware scanner found an application that the scanner's developers determine might do something you (or they) don't want - there have been incidents where a given scanner reports just a competing product as a "potential threat".

The easiest way to interpret what a detection means is simply searching on the internet. That will help you determine whether the detection might be an actual threat.

To answer your question:

If you have a reason to believe your system has been infected you should always by default scan every other system in the same network, especially your work computer. If you have an actual infection your employer won't appreciate, if it starts spreading in their network.

False detections are also a thing, and every scanner is prone to them, some more, some less. So it's a good idea to get a second opinion. I.e. test the system using another scanner. Just about every major manufacturer offers an online scanner.

Resetting or clean reinstall of Windows would remove any threat, but it's a heavy-handed operation. It's the last resort to use if any and all other malware removal methods have failed.

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  • Thanks for the input. Yes, I decided to simply scan the laptop using a full windows defender scan and a scan with malbytes. It did not detect anything. I've decided to the odds of this laptop being infected is fairly low. I'm using it on a separate network from now on though. Sep 22, 2021 at 9:29
  • In this case µTorrent is being flagged due the adware it's installer attempts to install.
    – Ramhound
    Sep 22, 2021 at 14:31
  • Indeed... how the mighty have fallen... Sep 22, 2021 at 14:32

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