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9 SIGNS OF MALWARE: IS YOUR COMPUTER INFECTED?
Malware on your computer can cause major problems. Slow-loading programs or strange notifications are just a few signs that can happen when your computer is infected. Does your pc or laptop show one or more of the 9 symptoms below? Then there is a chance that it is infected with a virus!
Signs that your computer is infected with malware:
Computer becomes slow
Does it take a few minutes to open a simple Word file? Or does it suddenly take a lot of time to start a computer game? When your computer suddenly becomes very slow, it can be a sign that it has been infected with malware. A computer virus can demand a lot of computing power from your PC or laptop. As a result, less computer power remains for other applications, which means these will function much slower.
Of course, a Windows computer can also become slow thanks to other reasons. Read all about it in our previous article and prevent this from happening.
Unexpected ads and pop-ups
To be fair: advertisements and pop-ups are annoying almost all of the time. But these can be especially annoying when your computer is infected with malware. Do you (accidently) click on these malware ads or pop-ups that suddenly appear on your screen? Then chances are your are sent to a website that tries to steal your personal information. It becomes even more annoying when certain pop-ups cover your entire screen and you can’t minimalize or close them. This may require you to reboot your computer, which can make you lose valuable documents.
Crashes
A major sign that your computer is infected with a virus might undoubtedly sound familiar to you: the computer crash. Often, crashes are accompanied with a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death). Windows indicates that an unexpected error has occurred and that the computer has to be restarted. In some cases a BSOD can also have a technical cause.
Browsers redirects
Imagine: you are calmly browsing the internet and you are visiting different websites. You type in the address of your favorite website and press ‘Enter’. Suddenly the browser sends you to a completely different website that is full of vague products, advertisements or other services. Do you recognize these problems? Then it is almost certain that there is a virus on your computer.
The same applies to the homepage that you have set. In most cases this is the Google website (by default). Has the homepage changed suddenly and did you not adjust it yourself? Then the chances are again that your PC is infected.
Unknown software or processes
Are there any strange icons on your desktop, taskbar or in the Start menu? Then it is wise to start using a virus scanner. Various types of malware will install unwanted software on your computer. In some cases, these apps will automatically boot when you start your computer. Do you want to know if unwanted software is being started? First use the key combination Ctrl + Alt + Delete. Then click Task Manager and select ‘Processes’. Do you see unknow software that uses a lot of processor or RAM space? Then this might very well be hardware.
Important: Never ‘stop’ random processes. This can damage your computer system.
Unwanted e-mails or social media posts
Malware can sometimes send messages to your contacts without you noticing it. A few years ago, computer viruses mainly sent e-mail messages filled with spam to people in your contact list. Nowadays, malware will quite often post messages via your social media pages. These messages often have attention-grabbing titles, making your friend more inclined to click on them. If they do click on these links, then chances are that their computer also will be infected with malware.
Your money, or your files?
A form of malware that is used more often nowadays is the so-called ransomware. This type of virus ‘locks’ your files, making them no longer accessible to you as user. Then hackers will send you a message, stating that you have to transfer a certain amount of money to so specific bank account. Sometimes you even have to pay in cryptocurrency. If you don’t pay, you might never have access to these files again. And even if you do pay, it is questionable whether you will receive access again.
Tools stop functioning
A sign that your computer is infected with malware, can be found in programs that suddenly stop working. Certain types of malware will prevent certain software to function correctly. For example, malware often try to automatically shut down antivirus software. This makes the computer extra sensitive to malware and can in the end cause even more damage.
Everything functions correctly (right?)
In some cases you will not notice that your computer is infected with malware. The computer malware is often ‘hidden’ in the most unexpected places by internet criminals. This allows the malware to cause a lot of damage while it goes unnoticed for a long time. For example, it is possible that your keystrokes are registered. Or your passwords and account data are forwarded to hackers. This way, internet criminals can steal lots of personal information while you might not notice it for a long period of time.
Prevent or remove malware?
We have good news; all previous problems can easily be prevented or solved! Always install ant virus software on your computer and prevent your pc or laptop from being infected with harmful malware. Is your computer already infected with a computer virus? Then antivirus software can solve this problem fast and easy. Quickly check out the virus scanner of SoftwareLicense4U. We only sell the best virus scanners on the market. You will receive the 100% original software license within 5 minutes via e-mail.
