How to Protect a Cyber Café PC from Pen Drive Viruses (and Remove the Shortcut Virus)

In cyber cafés and print shops, most viruses arrive the same way: through a customer's pen drive. Someone plugs one in, and soon the PC's folders turn into "shortcuts", files disappear and the computer slows down. If it happens at rush time, the whole day is lost.

This guide explains what the shortcut virus is, how to remove it, how to get your files back, and how to protect your PC from now on.

• What is the shortcut virus?
• How to remove the shortcut virus from a pen drive (using CMD)
• How to remove the virus from the PC
• How to keep your PC safe from now on
• The best protection: stop needing pen drives
• Frequently asked questions

What is the shortcut virus?#

It is a common virus that spreads through pen drives and memory cards. Signs:

• Every folder on the pen drive shows up as a shortcut (an icon with an arrow).
• The real files are hidden: the pen drive looks full, but you cannot see the files.
• Other pen drives plugged into the same PC get infected too.

The good news: in most cases the files are not deleted, only hidden, and you can bring them back.

How to remove the shortcut virus from a pen drive (using CMD)#

Note: replace E: in the commands below with your pen drive's drive letter. Never run these commands on the wrong drive.

1. Type cmd in the Start menu, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
2. Type the pen drive's letter and press Enter, for example:

E:

3. Delete all the fake shortcuts:

del *.lnk

4. Unhide the real files:

attrib -s -r -h *.* /s /d /l

Now open the pen drive and your files should be back. After that, scan the pen drive with Windows Security (right-click the drive and choose "Scan with Microsoft Defender").

How to remove the virus from the PC#

If the PC's own folders are turning into shortcuts, the virus is on the PC itself.

1. Open Windows Security (type "Windows Security" in Start) → Virus & threat protection → Scan options → run a Full scan.
2. If the problem continues, run Microsoft Defender Offline scan from the same place. It restarts the PC and checks it more deeply.
3. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) → Startup apps, and disable any program you do not recognise.
4. Keep Real-time protection turned on. Many shops turn it off to make the PC faster, and that is the biggest mistake.

How to keep your PC safe from now on#

Scan every pen drive before opening it#

Scan each customer's pen drive as soon as it is plugged in, then open it. It takes 20 to 30 seconds and saves hours of trouble.

Never open .exe or shortcut files from a pen drive#

Your customer needs a PDF or a photo printed. If you see a .exe, .bat, .vbs or strange shortcut file on the pen drive, do not open it.

Keep Windows and antivirus updated#

Do not switch off Windows Update. Older versions such as Windows 7 no longer get security updates, and a PC like that is risky for both internet and pen drive use.

Keep important files separate#

Do not keep your business files (bills, customer records) on the PC where customers' pen drives are plugged in, or keep a backup elsewhere.

The best protection: stop needing pen drives#

Today almost every customer's file is on their phone. The pen drive is only a way to carry it to your shop. If customers can send files from their phone straight to your PC, nobody needs to plug in a pen drive.

With Send2PC, customers scan the QR code on your counter and send their files. Every file is checked before it reaches your PC: only PDFs, photos, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and text files get through. Programs such as .exe files and scripts are blocked.

Frequently asked questions#

Does formatting the pen drive remove the virus?#

From the pen drive, yes, but it also deletes your files. Recover the files first using the steps above, then format. And if the virus is on the PC, a formatted pen drive gets infected again as soon as you plug it back in, so scanning the PC matters.

Is a free antivirus enough?#

For most shops, Microsoft Defender (Windows Security), which comes with Windows 10 and 11, is enough, as long as it stays on and up to date.

Read next: how to receive files from customers without WhatsApp: 5 ways.