Malware has evolved through time, thanks to the skill of black hat hackers looking to create ever more dangerous and difficult-to-detect viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, adware, ransomware, and other types of harmful code.
There are warning signs that your computer may be infected with malware if you know what to look for. There are also effective techniques for removing viruses as well as preventative tactics to safeguard your computer from being infected in the future.
What is malware?
Malware, also known as “malicious software,” is a broad term that refers to any malicious program or code that causes harm to electronic devices, such as computers or smartphones.
A malware infection usually aims to infiltrate, damage, or destroy computer systems, networks, tablets, and mobile devices by taking partial control over their activities. It interferes with their regular functioning, just like the flu would do to the human body.
There are many reasons why hackers seek to infect computers with malware. It can be to make money or sabotage your capacity to work, among other things.
Malware applications are capable of stealing, encrypting, or wiping your data, altering or hijacking basic computer functions, and following your online activity without your permission.
Most common types of malware infections
Viruses, malware, and spyware are among the things you don’t want on your computer. Here are the most common types of malware:
Viruses: Viruses that are specifically intended to target your computer. They are propagated from machine to machine through shared links and files that are uploaded and downloaded. People propagate these programs by linking and sharing recklessly and not using adequate antivirus security.
Worms: Worms are comparable to computer viruses. People are not required to share these programs. They’re designed to navigate computer networks on their own.
Ransomware, adware, and spyware: These apps are meant to watch your internet activities collect data about you, and even steal and keep your data hostage.
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The ways malware impacts your devices
A virus or malware infection always has a negative effect, but the severity of that effect is determined by the type and breadth of the infection. Some of the probable outcomes of a computer virus are as follows:
Performance decline. Malware might slow down your computer’s processing speed. That means getting work done or looking up a quick fact may take longer and longer.
Functionality is lost. In severe circumstances, the infection might cripple your computer’s performance or programming to the point that you couldn’t use it.
Other unfavourable software exposure. Some malware is designed to persuade you to download even more harmful software.
Information is lost. A computer virus has the potential to destroy files or data.
Invasion of privacy. Viruses may attempt to collect personal information, such as passwords, in order to commit identity theft or fraud. If your accounts are hacked, you may suffer financial damage.
Signs that your computer is infected with malware
1- Your computer takes a long time to start up and run
A computer that runs slowly is frequently the first indicator of infection.
If your computer used to start up fast and run apps smoothly, you should be worried if it is now extremely slow and even simple activities take a long time to complete.
Malware, particularly viruses, are notorious to slow down your system, so if your computer is performing slowly, you should always suspect infection.
2- It suddenly freezes or crashes
One of the most common reasons why computers crash unexpectedly is because of overheating. Once you have discarded this possible cause, you should consider malware as the next possible cause.
If your computer is infected with malware and it is overheating, this could indicate that malware is using your PC’s resources for malicious activities, such as mining cryptocurrency, sending spam, or launching distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
Normally, when a computer crashes, it shows the infamous “Blue Screen of Death“, informing you of an abrupt shutdown.
A malware infection caused the “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) shown below.
The user is prompted to disable freshly installed software and restart their computer in Safe Mode in this BSOD scenario.
3- Untrustworthy pop-up ads or security alerts
Pop-up ads are well-known for being annoying. Because pop-up ads are so disliked, many browsers now integrate pop-up blockers to get rid of pop-ups appearing on your screen.
Therefore, if you suddenly see many pop-up advertisements, your system has most certainly been infected with malware.
You may also receive alarming messages claiming that your computer has malware, offering antivirus software, and urging you to act soon. Ironically, such alerts are a technique for hackers to infect your machine with malware or steal your personal information.
Do not accept any type of advertisement asking you to purchase antivirus software that you have never heard of. It’s most likely a method for hackers to steal your money, passwords, or personal information in exchange for no security software.
This is like an email phishing scam, which is another common way for hackers to fool you into downloading malware on your computer.
4- Your web browser keeps redirecting you
Not all site redirects are malicious, but if when trying to access Microsoft Edge or Google Drive you get redirected to an unknown search site, this may be suspicious.
A financial Trojan, for example, may redirect your browser to a phony version of your bank’s official website. In such a case, the URL in the address bar is your sole hint.
Browser extensions are commonly used in redirection attacks, so if you have any suspicions, go into your browser settings and get rid of any extensions you didn’t install on purpose. Disable any extensions you don’t use on a regular basis while you’re there.
5- Your browser’s settings have been changed
Pay attention if your homepage has changed, or if you have new toolbars, programs, extensions, or plugins installed, your computer may have malware. The reason for this varies, but it may happen when a user clicks on some “congratulations” pop-up, which installed some undesirable software.
How to deal with malware and computer viruses
It is necessary to be proactive when it comes to preventing computer viruses or malware attacks. At Wingman Solutions, we employ 24/7 monitoring systems to detect any malware activity.
The recommended practices listed below are some security best practices to consider to prevent malware infections.
Make sure your operating system is up to date
Security flaws in current software are one of the most common ways viruses get entry into a system. As a result, the first step in preventing your computer from becoming infected is to ensure that your apps, programs, security software, and operating system are all current.
This is especially crucial when it comes to updating your operating system, because Apple, Microsoft, and other suppliers offer security updates on a regular basis to address any flaws.
Uninstalling software you don’t use can help lessen the number of possible vulnerabilities for fraudsters to attack.
Review your computer’s security settings, see if they have changed
If your PC changes your security settings or disables your antivirus, this indicates that malware is attempting to prevent you from detecting and removing it. This is a serious indication of infection, and you should act quickly to restore your security settings and antivirus. Here are a few steps you can take:
First, try running your antivirus software in Safe Mode, as described in the previous answer. This will stop the malware from running and interfering with your antivirus software. Scan your computer for malware and remove it.
Second, try to repair or reset Windows Security, Windows 10’s built-in security app. Windows Security includes features such as a firewall, device performance, health monitoring, virus and threat protection, and family management.
Install only one antivirus program
It may appear that having numerous layers of antivirus protection on your computer is a good idea, but “less is more” in this situation.
If you have several antivirus software programs installed on your computer, they may cancel each other out since one believes the other is a virus. At best, this can lead to inadequate antivirus protection, and at worst, file corruption.
Scan for viruses automatically
Most contemporary antivirus software applications have automation capabilities that allow scheduling a virus scan check for your computer. It is possible to ensure that your system is safe without affecting your productivity by scheduling the procedure at a time when you won’t need to use the computer.
Keep an eye on cybersecurity compliance
Understanding and keeping up with cybersecurity compliance is essential for both businesses and individuals, as it plays a vital role in preventing malware infections on computers and reducing the risks associated with data breaches and cyber-attacks. A thorough guide to cybersecurity compliance equips organizations with the knowledge of the most recent threats, vulnerabilities, and effective practices to secure their digital resources. By adhering to such a guide, companies can establish strong security protocols, educate their employees on recognizing potential dangers, and adopt a proactive stance in protecting sensitive information. Consequently, they minimize the chances of malware infections and preserve their reputation, financial assets, and the trust of their clients in the ever-changing world of cyber threats.
Remove the pop-ups
If you’re having trouble with rogue pop-ups on your computer, these are some recommended steps to take:
- Stop the process that is causing the pop-up to appear in Task Manager.
- To rapidly access the Task Manager on Windows, hold down the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys at the same time.
- Mac users may discover it by going to the Apple menu on the upper left and selecting Force Quit.
- This does not get rid of the infection.
- If feasible, you should then install and/or run antivirus software to resolve the issue.
Let’s get rid of malware infections
The easiest method to keep your computer safe from getting malware is to prevent it from becoming infected in the first place. A proactive IT provider, like Wingman Solutions, will continually monitor your systems and eradicate them before they become a problem for your business.
If you’d like more information on how to protect your business devices from malware, please get in touch with our team at sales@wingmansolutions.ca or call us at 289-804-7000.
