A reader asks: “If you uninstall a virus, could it still work if you’ve already opened it?”

Removing active malware will stop it from doing further or future local damage, but that’s all. You may still have trouble left over from the original, now-removed infection source.

For example, removing ransomware from your PC or phone won’t automatically decrypt your files — they’ll still be inaccessible. You’ll have to restore your device from backups, or pay the ransom and hope for the best.

Similarly, if the malware has already stolen your passwords, or credit card numbers, or the addresses of everyone in your contact book, etc., that info is gone and isn’t coming back.

So: Once your device has been disinfected (e.g. with a reputable anti-malware tool), no further local damage will occur from whatever malware was active. But you still may have some cleanup to do!

(Psst! Once you find and use an anti-malware tool to clean up the current infection, leave it installed! That way, you probably won’t ever face this problem again.)

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