A computer security question: Too many 'date modified folders'?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the phenomenon of a large number of folders (26,263) being marked as 'date modified' within a short time frame (8 minutes). Participants explore potential reasons for this occurrence, considering both benign and malicious explanations, and seek to understand the implications of such modifications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the folders may have been modified due to an antivirus scan, which they believe could be a benign explanation.
  • Another participant challenges this reasoning, stating that antivirus scanners typically read files without modifying them, thus questioning the validity of the initial claim.
  • Concerns are raised about the nature of the folders, with a participant noting that most folders do not contain files but rather empty subfolders, leading to confusion about potential malicious activity.
  • A different perspective is offered, proposing that the modifications could have resulted from an automated process, such as copying the directory structure or an inadvertent drag/drop operation.
  • There is a suggestion to check if any text files within the folders were also modified, as this could indicate a virus or malware presence.
  • A practical tip is provided for Windows users to sort folders by "Date Modified" in File Explorer for further investigation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the cause of the 'date modified' status, with no consensus reached on whether the modifications are benign or indicative of a potential security issue. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of the modifications.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the complexity of the situation, with some assumptions about the behavior of antivirus software and the nature of folder modifications remaining unverified. The discussion also highlights the need for further investigation into the specific files within the folders.

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TL;DR
I want to learn the reason for too many 'date modified folders'.
Hello. I need to ask about my folders. My 26,263 folders became 'date modified' in 8 minutes. I created those folders and I am aware they stood there. I think any human being can't be so quick.

It seems that this is a good news bad news scenerio, and the only good reason I can think of for that happened is that my antivirus scanned my folders so they became 'date modified'. But what could be bad news for me when there is no clear problem?

How can they become 'date modified' so quickly?
 
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mech-eng said:
Summary: I want to learn the reason for too many 'date modified folders'.

the only good reason I can think of for that happened is that my antivirus scanned my folders so they became 'date modified'. But what could be bad news for me when there is no clear problem?

How can they become 'date modified' so quickly?
I don't think your logic is correct. To the best of my knowledge, an AV scanner is just reading the files, but not modifying them, so shouldn't be changing the dates of the folders the files are in.
 
Mark44 said:
I don't think your logic is correct. To the best of my knowledge, an AV scanner is just reading the files, but not modifying them, so shouldn't be changing the dates of the folders the files are in.
90% or more of them have not been including files since created, but they generally include another empty folder. So even if that is an attack, what can it be? Why would any malware, virus or whatever it is want to change empty folders? This is really very confusing to me. Can it be anything other than attack?
 
Last edited:
mech-eng said:
Summary: I want to learn the reason for too many 'date modified folders'.

Hello. I need to ask about my folders. My 26,263 folders became 'date modified' in 8 minutes. I created those folders and I am aware they stood there. I think any human being can't be so quick.

It seems that this is a good news bad news scenerio, and the only good reason I can think of for that happened is that my antivirus scanned my folders so they became 'date modified'. But what could be bad news for me when there is no clear problem?

How can they become 'date modified' so quickly?
Certainly the modifications occurred through an automated process.
My first thought is that the directory structure was simply copied - perhaps you were baking them up or perhaps you made an inadvertent drag/drop operation.

It is also possible that a virus was attached to each file. If any of them were text files (*.txt), you verify that they were also modified. If so, you could open one of them with notepad or you favorite text editing tool using the "open with" option (in this case using the default would be dangerous) and check that nothing has been inserted or appended. If only certain file types have been modified, that would be very worrisome.
 
If you're usig Windows, look at your File Explorer and order them by "Date Modified" .
 

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