If Your PC Is Acting Strange, You Might Have Malware

Despite countless anti-malware measures, cybercriminals aren’t slowing down, especially not as long as money can be made. Threat actors use a wide range of tactics to steal information, such as viruses, worms, trojans, keyloggers, and mobile malware, to name a few. If your computer is acting weird, the most likely cause is a malware infection. Some types of malware can download other threats to your PC, and once installed, they’ll download other threats. It’s a vicious cycle. It doesn’t matter if you use a Windows, Linux, or Apple computer; you’re still vulnerable to ever-evolving cyber threats.

How To Remove Malware from Your PC

Malicious actors disguise their work well, so it’s hard to recognize an infected system. If you have reason to believe the malware has taken residence on your computer, don’t waste time and install an antivirus system like Norton. Although antivirus is designed to prevent infection, it has the ability to remove malware from an infected computer. It’s not a good idea to have more than one antivirus programs installed on your device because they’ll cancel each other out, resulting in limited protection. You’ll want to ensure your antivirus is updated, as the Internet is a fast-moving environment. If your program is even a day out of date, malware can wreak havoc. 

Warning Signs That Your PC Is Malware-Infected

There are signs to look out for that can help you recognize a malware attack. The following warning signs are the most common. 

Ads Pop Up Everywhere

Marketing professionals generate revenue by serving ads to Internet users while they’re surfing the Web. Seeing random ads popping up on your screen is unbearable, to say the least. The ads may be for legitimate products, so they might not necessarily be malicious in nature. Still, pop-ups that appear in your browser may be produced by a malware program installed on your PC. You might have downloaded it accidentally by clicking on a malicious ad. You can adjust your browser settings to prevent the ads from popping up, but overcoming the adware infection requires deep cleaning.

Unexplained File/Folder Changes

Malware can cause unexplained computer behavior, so if there are changes to your files and folders that you didn’t initiate, you may be a victim. You should be concerned if files are missing or the content of your files is different. Your PC doesn’t make such changes unless there’s a virus or a technical issue. Chances are that a third party has taken control of your device, using your keyboard and mouse, and you’re not even aware of it. Keep in mind that it’s more common for a computer to be hijacked than to be hacked.  

Your Browser Keeps Getting Redirected

Website redirects point you to certain types of ads or dangerous codes that could damage your PC. If your browser is constantly redirected to unwanted sites, malware may be installed on your device. URL redirects aren’t always obvious. For instance, some trojan horses redirect traffic from online banking and financial websites to fraudulent sites that are almost identical. They even display an SSL certificate. You risk sharing sensitive information if you’re familiar with the URL in the address bar. Since redirects are often based on browser extensions, dig into your settings, and disable/delete any suspicious extensions. Some browsers have a Safe Mode that disables all extensions.

Spam Is Sent from Your Email Address

If your email account is taken over, the threat actor will leverage it to spread spam and viruses. Simply put, the infection spreads across the Internet by tricking people into clicking on infected links. If your friends, family, or colleagues have received random emails from you, your email has been hacked, and you’ll have to act fast to minimize the damage. Log out of your account, create a stronger password, notify people you know, and report the incident. It’s best to avoid using public computers to log into your email account because they’re anything but secure. Also, an antivirus program like Norton Security can help prevent malicious emails. 

You Can’t Access the Control Panel

So, your Control Panel has gotten out of control – it won’t open, closes all of a sudden, or doesn’t allow you to make any changes. The explanation lies in the fact that your system is affected by malware. Even if you have access to everything via your Task Manager, it’s still irritating. You can eliminate the possibility of malware impacting your PC’s processing by performing a scan. If you don’t have an antivirus installed, Windows Defender will do the trick. Once the program is done scanning your device, you’ll know many threats there are and proceed to remove them. Staying protected against malware is a daily fight, so make sure to keep your antivirus updated.

What Happens If Your Computer Is Infected by Malware?

It goes without saying that malware has a negative impact on your PC, leaving you vulnerable to fraud, one of the most serious and costly results. Cybercriminals will steal your information to sell it to third-party sources (browsing history, passwords, etc.). Malware can delete files and data, or it might destroy your entire hard drive, which can lead to a sluggish computer, so you won’t be able to carry out your daily operations. Malware can take different shapes, and some types do their best to hide their activity. So, everything seems perfectly normal, but a bot on your system silently awaits instructions. 

The good news is that you can prevent malware infection on your computer. Update the operating system, browser, and plugins so that vulnerabilities don’t find their way through. If you don’t want to worry about remembering passwords, you might want to look into a password manager. Your information is in one convenient location. Above all, use an antivirus to protect yourself from all sorts of malware. It will protect valuable pieces of information while you surf the Web and block ads and spam emails. When you secure your computer with such a program, you close several potential security leaks.

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