Malware is a malicious software program that infects a computer system without the user’s consent. Malware can spread by attaching itself to emails, webpages, and even through other types of files.
If your computer is infected with a virus or a malware program, it’s important to get rid of it immediately so you can prevent it from spreading to other computers.
Not sure if you’ve got a virus or malware on your computer? You can check out our Virus & Malware Removal Guide to see how you can protect yourself.
In this post, we’ll start by explaining how to tell if your computer has a virus and how to remove it ASAP. Let’s get into it.
How do You Know if You Have an Infected Computer?
Before you start hunting down the virus with a vengeance, first you need to know if your computer is actually infected. It isn’t always easy to tell. Viruses can be highly pervasive and are often designed to exist in the background without you even really knowing. This is especially true for Spyware.
So, how can you tell? Luckily, there are a few tell-tale signs. Some are more obvious than others. Sometimes viruses will attack your entire system, delete files, and prevent all access. Others will barely show any signs at all. To help you identify how much trouble you may be in, we have listed some key warning signs below.
Your System has Unexpectedly Slowed Down
Operating systems start to slow down as their memory is depleted and as they get older. It’s a natural part of a computer’s life cycle. However, if you notice that your system has started to significantly slow down for no apparent reason, that can be a big indicator of spyware operating in the background.
You might notice particular slowing when opening programs or trying to load web pages, or maybe even when first logging on. Essentially, any process that used to happen pretty quickly that now seems to drudge along is a warning sign.
You Have Lost Access to Certain Areas
Many viruses seek to lock the user out or, at the very least, restrict their movement to prevent the removal of the virus. One of the main ways they try to do this is by limiting your access to the task manager, your control panel, or entire admin privileges.
If you find that you suddenly can’t uninstall software, for example, it could be the virus trying to take further control.
Your Antivirus Has Stopped Working
Naturally, a virus isn’t going to respond well to whatever protections you have already established against it. Many viruses are designed to seek out antivirus software and block them. If you suddenly find that you can’t start your antivirus program, it could be a sign a virus has infected your computer.
Does this mean antivirus software is obsolete? No, absolutely not. There’s no doubt that viruses are constantly evolving to find new ways around antivirus software, but they don’t often succeed. If you don’t have antivirus software at all, your system is completely open to attack.
My Computer Seems Infected, What Can I Do?
If you have read the above signs and noticed one or two on your own system, it’s likely that there is a virus present. Don’t panic. The existence of a virus doesn’t necessarily mean it has enacted any malicious damage just yet. However, you do need to act quickly.
Listed below are our top tips for what you need to do after identifying a virus. The sooner you enact these steps, the less damage the virus will be able to do to your system. Time is of the essence, so let’s get into it.
If You Don’t Already Have it, Download Antivirus Software
Even though some viruses are capable of halting your antivirus software, it is still so important to have it installed. No antivirus software is perfect, but if you don’t have any protection whatsoever, you’re a sitting duck and a hacker’s dream.
Ideally, your computer should already have antivirus software prior to a cyberattack. However, it isn’t too late if your computer is already infected. Just download the software from a trusted source. You don’t need to start a scan just yet, we’ll get to that later. Just make sure you’ve downloaded some protection.
Disconnect From the Internet
Once you have installed the antivirus and let it complete a scan, disconnect entirely from the internet. Viruses often transmit data through network internet from your device to the original hacker. Without a network to communicate with, the virus is effectively nullified.
If the virus is preventing you from turning off your Wi-Fi connection, kill it at the root. Unplug your router or modem and your internet will disconnect automatically, regardless of what trick the virus tries to pull.
Reboot and Launch Safe Mode
Safe Mode enacts exactly what you would expect it to. It launches your computer with minimal operations running so that most viruses are rendered entirely useless. More sophisticated viruses may still be able to activate in Safe Mode, but the damage they can inflict is significantly reduced.
Start a Full Scan
Remember that antivirus software we asked you to download before? Now it’s time to put it to work! Most antivirus software will allow you to enact a full scan as part of even the most basic package. This scan will pick up on anything that shouldn’t be there, and will usually give you the option of placing the virus in quarantine or outright killing it.
If you happen to believe that the virus may have originated from an external drive that you own, connect that to the computer while running the scan too. This will ensure that all of your devices are clean, and not just your main computer.
Delete All Temporary Files and Clear Your Browser Cache
Insidiously, many viruses hide in places you wouldn’t think to look. Temporary files and browser caches are the perfect places to hide a virus because so many people don’t know how to access them.
If you have Windows 10, this process is fairly simple. Just type ‘dick cleanup’ into the search on your taskbar (bottom left usually) and open the Disk Cleanup software. This will allow you to select the files you wish to delete. Check temporary files and browser cache (among any others you want rid of) and purge away!
Update Your Browser and Operating System (If Applicable)
Finally, once you have completed everything else on the list, we recommend updating your browser and operating system. If you already have the latest versions, good job! If you’ve been pausing those updates one too many times, get to work.
System updates are done to keep up with the ever-evolving world of malware. If you fail to keep up, you’re making yourself that much easier to target. Quit hitting snooze on your updates!
Don’t Waste Time, Kill That Virus ASAP
As we mentioned before, acting quickly is integral to minimizing the damage incurred from an infected computer. Malware continues to get smarter, so you need to be able to outmaneuver it if you want to protect your sensitive data. This doesn’t mean you need to be a computer whiz-kid, but staying educated is key. Follow our advice and you’ll do just fine!
Christian Scott is the founder and operator of Malware Brains, a comprehensive cybersecurity website dedicated to educating individuals and businesses about malware and its impacts on society. With over 25 years of collective industry experience, Christian and his team of experts provide unbiased, factual information to help users understand and mitigate the risks associated with malicious software.
