There’s a program on the computer that nobody remembers installing.
Antivirus is running, updates download, and mostly that’s handled. Nobody has checked what else is on the machine, or what starts when it turns on. Antivirus reports what it recognized. It doesn’t list everything that was added.
Some of these are normal
A remote-support program left behind by a former IT person or a vendor is common, and so is a tool a staff member installed to work from home. What matters is whether anyone can say who installed it and when.
Signs worth writing down
- A remote-access or remote-support program you don’t recognize.
- A security tool that has been turned off.
- A user account nobody created.
- Programs that start when the computer does, that you don’t recognize.
- The computer working hard when no one is using it.
- The mouse moving on its own.
Write down the program’s name and the install date if it’s shown, and photograph the screen. Don’t uninstall it yet, because removing it also removes what it can tell us.
If it’s happening right now
If the mouse is moving by itself or a remote session is open, disconnect the computer from the network first: unplug the cable or turn off Wi-Fi. If you can’t disconnect it, turn it off.
What we check with you
The installed programs and what starts at sign-in. The security tool’s own detection history. The user accounts and when they were created. Then we compare all of it with what you expect to find.
We may also run the Reveal Scan on that computer with you. The Reveal Scan shows every problem it finds, with no charge and no credit card needed. Step-by-step instructions for fixing them are in the detailed report, which is paid, and you’ll see its price before you buy. It reads one computer at a time, it isn’t real-time protection, and it can’t see a mailbox.
We tell you what we found and what we didn’t, with dates. A clean result covers what we examined, on the date we examined it.
An unfamiliar program is either something someone forgot or something that shouldn’t be there. The first step is finding out which.
Get answers about the computer you’re worried about.
The Reveal Scan shows every problem it finds, with no charge and no credit card needed. Step-by-step instructions for fixing them are in the detailed report, which is paid, and you’ll see its price before you buy. It reads one Windows computer at a time and can’t see a mailbox.
Rather talk to a person?
Call (•••) •••-••••
Kristina or Anne will answer. Available during US Eastern time.
Or ask for a call back. Tell us which computer or mailbox, and what you noticed.
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Written by Craig Peterson, 35+ years successfully running IT and security for businesses. Last reviewed October 27, 2026.