autoupdate.exe, and it's process, AT&T AutoUpdater, are not malware or spyware and are safe to have on your hard drive.

Viruses and spyware can infect your hard drive very easily, even if you only surf the internet. The fact that this file is not malware doesn't mean your hard drive is not infected.

The best way to avoid problems with viruses and other types of viruses is to scan your hard drive for free and get rid of all the virus files right now.