5 Warning Signs that Your Computer is Infected with Malware
Malware attacks are undoubtedly one of the worst things that could happen to your computer. Our growing dependence on the online environment has raised the risk of malware as well as other criminal activities. Malwares are now all over cyber space in different forms. IT specialists are fighting a constant battle against different types of malware.
Malwares are something that changes every day. Cyber criminals keep changing their tactics and this is the biggest problem. Although malwares were initially designed with the aim of causing disruption to IT systems, now its creators are more focused on financial gain.
When it comes to malware, early detection is the key. But how will you come to know that there is malware on your computer? Don’t worry; I have compiled a list of some definitive signs of malware infection in this blog.
Your fast PC has suddenly become unusually slow
Is your computer taking longer than normal to boot up?
Are your programs taking too long to start?
If you are not running any resource-heavy applications or program on your system but still experiencing slowdown, it may be because your pc is infected with a malware. Malware has the tendency to slow down your OS, Internet speed as well as the speed of your applications.
Unexpected pop-ups are appearing on your system
Is your screen flooded with popup messages as well as notifications, interrupting your work? Unexpected, annoying pop-ups that appear on the system are a typical sign of a malware infection.
These pop-ups are not only annoying but also very dangerous as they might have hidden spyware inside them that might result in personal identity theft as well as financial loss.
To protect yourself from spyware & its negative consequences, remember the following things:
- Never click any suspicious pop-up windows
- Be very careful while downloading free applications
Also, use effective anti-malware software in order to protect your system from malwares.
Your system is crashing frequently
If your system or programs are crashing on a regular basis or switching to the terrifying blue screen of death regularly, it is a clear sign that something is wrong with your system and you should scan your system for infections immediately.
Your security solution have been disabled
If your security solution does not seem to work anymore, this could be because of a malware infection. There are some malware programs that are specially designed to disable the security programs that would otherwise eradicate them, leaving you without any defense. In such case, even if you try to reboot your computer, close & open the security solution, you would get no positive outcome.
New or unknown programs are launching
If any new or unknown programs are starting up as soon as you boot up your PC, then it could be a malware infection that was previously installed with some other software. They are called as PUP Malware or Potentially Unwanted Programs that come bundled with free software programs. Many developers use this type of technique in order to make money.
Hence, you need to be more careful while installing any programs. Also, read the agreement thoroughly before agreeing to any installations. You can use tools like Unchecky in order to prevent unwanted program installation.
Preventing a malware attack is not that difficult. You just need to educate yourself properly as well as act wisely while browsing net.
Also, remember that early detection is the key. The best way to know whether your system is infected or not is to conduct a system scan with your antivirus suite before it is too late.