PC SPECIAL ....Malware alert? Beat the sneaky enemy at its game

Malware alert? Beat the sneaky enemy at its game
 

Is your PC acting strange? Here are seven warning signs that your computer has malware and tips to get rid of it

When your PC slows down or acts weird, you don’t always know the cause. Most often, it’s just a glitch. But it could be a sign of terrible malware infestation. The fact that you have got malware protection installed doesn’t mean you can ignore the early signs.

1 Ads start popping up everywhere

While not as common as they used to be, adware programs bombard their victims with advertisements. Sometimes they are ads for legitimate products, netting an affiliate fee for the adware perpetrator. Other times they contain links to malicious websites that will attempt to drop more malware on your computer.

2 Your browser keeps getting redirected

Not every site redirect is malicious, but if you find that trying to reach Google takes you to an unfamiliar search site, you’ve got a problem. Redirection attacks often rely on browser extensions, so dig into your browser settings and disable or delete any extensions you didn’t install deliberately.

3 An unknown app sends scary warnings

Creating and distributing fake antivirus programs is a lucrative business. The perpetrators use drive-by downloads or other sneaky techniques to get the fake antivirus onto your system, then display scary warnings about made-up threats. So, you have to make a payment before the fraudulent tool will ‘fix’ the problem.

4 Mysterious posts appear on your social media

Malware focused on Facebook and other social media sites propagate by generating fake posts. Typically, these posts include an inflammatory statement of some kind, like ‘OMG were you really that drunk? Look at this picture!’ Anyone who falls for the fake post and clicks the link becomes the malware’s next victim.

5 You get ransom demands

Some malware programs literally hold your PC or data for ransom. Overt ransomware threats may encrypt all your pictures and documents and demand that you pay to get them back. Others try to obscure what they’re doing. Antivirus apps and security suites should protect against most malware, but you can also double down on safety with dedicated ransomware protection software.

6 Your system tools are disabled

A smart user, suspecting the presence of malware, might launch Task Manager to investigate or check settings using Registry Editor. If you suddenly find that trying to use these or other system tools trigger a message saying your Administrator has disabled them, it may well be an attempt at self-defence by malware on your system.

7 Everything seems perfectly normal

That’s right. Some types of malware do their best to hide all activity, leaving no visible traces. Even when you don’t notice anything unusual. A Remote Access Trojan (or some other form of spyware) may be harvesting your personal information.

So, you’ve got malware. Now what?

If you think that malware has taken up residence in your PC, install a powerful antivirus application or security suite immediately. Already got one? Then the malware got past its protection. Your antivirus should be up to date and run a full scan. If you still have an unwanted app your regular security software can’t get rid of (or you want to be sure your system is clean) you can scan the PC again with an on-demand cleanup tool.

in.pcmag.com