Files appearing in google drive without my input

[nomadreid]

Today for the first time in my Google Drive there appear several files in "quick access" labeled "you downloaded this month" although I did not explicitly download them, but were perhaps downloaded as part of a java script running somewhere on my computer, or maybe they are malware, that is the question. They are often labeled with .dll or .xul extensions. I do not see a way to get my virus scanner to scan them. Should I just delete them, or (if they are legit) would this disable something on my computer? I do not understand why something that is downloaded onto my computer should end up in Drive anyway without my specifically putting it there. Nor do I understand the "quick access" showing something that does not show up in the rest of the lists of my files. Any hints?

 

[Stephenk53]

I think it may be a virus, but I suggest waiting to delete them after someone else responds. Do not open them or do anything with them until someone else responds. But did the downloads come with a name of some kind? Like say nameofprogram.dll.

 

[nomadreid]

Yes, the three appearing at the moment are overlay.xul, jqs_plugin.dll, and jvm.dll
I must admit that when I first saw these, I unwisely deleted two of them, but like the hydra's heads, two more took the deleted ones' places. So far the sky has not fallen on my head, but I am nonetheless wary of deleting more of them without some kind of idea as to what I am doing.

 

[QuantumQuest]

Today for the first time in my Google Drive there appear several files in "quick access" labeled "you downloaded this month" although I did not explicitly download them, but were perhaps downloaded as part of a java script running somewhere on my computer, or maybe they are malware, that is the question. They are often labeled with .dll or .xul extensions. I do not see a way to get my virus scanner to scan them. Should I just delete them, or (if they are legit) would this disable something on my computer? I do not understand why something that is downloaded onto my computer should end up in Drive anyway without my specifically putting it there. Nor do I understand the "quick access" showing something that does not show up in the rest of the lists of my files. Any hints?

Yes, the three appearing at the moment are overlay.xul, jqs_plugin.dll, and jvm.dll

overlay.xul is a file used to describe extra content in the UI for Mozilla browser. jqs_plugin.dll is a browser quick start Java program . As far as I know it appeared in version 6.11 (back in the Sun Microsystems era). jvm.dll is a Java module associated with Java 2 Standard Edition platform.
Now, the first one is associated with your browser and the last two are associated with applications you downloaded, that use them. Normally, they are legitimate files but for the last two files it may be the case that someone found a way to pass a malware through them (e.g. in the form of a trojan horse that appears legitimate but at some point opens "holes" and downloads the real threat).

You can disable the "quick access" feature if you want by going to your Google Drive account from a web interface, selecting the "settings" gear icon, clicking "Settings" and then finding the “Quick Access” feature and unchecking the box next to “Make relevant files handy when you need them.”.

From an iPhone, you can open Google Drive, go to "Menu", select "Settings", tap on "Quick access" and tap on the toggle switch next to “Enable Quick Access” to disable it. For Android the procedure is quite similar.

 

[nomadreid]

Super! Thanks for both the explanations and the instructions, which I have just followed successfully. OK, issue fixed!