5 Things to Do When a Computer is Infected

Okay, you got virus or spyware on your computer, how do you get rid of it? How do you ensure that your computer is malware and spyware free? Anyone with good security software can run a scan to capture and delete computer threats. Sounds easy enough, however, sometimes, it's not as easy as it seems. Some malicious programs are removed by using security software with up-to-date definitions, but not all. That's why some online computer repair services have virus removal as part of their offerings. Let's start from the easiest and work up to the most difficult.

Get a security software

For computers running on Windows, you can download Microsoft security essentials to handle virus attacks, and use Windows Defender as a spyware removal. Malwarebytes is also another recommended tool to use when infected by a virus or spyware.

Mac users would do well with Spyware Sweeper, CounterSpyware, or spyware doctor. To remove virus threats, you can rely on BitDefender or Norton to provide superb protection.

Run a Full Scan

A full scan ensures that all the nooks and crannies of your computer are malware, adware, and spyware free.

Delete All Recently Downloaded Online Freebies

Free software from sites you don't trust should be avoided. We have said this many times. Avoid those free movies, free untrusted software packages, music, and games. They often come with malware and spyware. When you download or run a freeware on your computer many things can happen. The major goals of a computer threat are to corrupt files, record your keystrokes to steal passwords, and to steal other personal information.

Use System Restore

A system restore can take your computer back to a time when the virus was not on your computer. Keep in mind that a system restore will revert old settings and you may lose some programs that you just installed. All changes to documents, excel sheets, etc should be unaffected by a system restore. However, it is always recommended to backup your computer before a system restore.

Install 'safe web monitoring' extensions on your browser

Although your computer is infected already, you need to make some changes to lessen the chances of future attacks. Safe web monitoring extensions lets you know whether a site is secure to visit or not. There are a couple of them out there. The two good ones I have found useful over the years are Norton Safe Web extension and McAfee SiteAdvisor.

How do you know that a computer is infected?

A computer is likely infected when you receive an alert. That is not always the case though as your security software may popup an alert, which, on a closer look, poses no threat at all. The big and obvious things that you will see is that malware makes systems unstable, causes them to crash, and makes your computer run slow. These are the danger signs.

In summary, the minute you suspect that your computer is infected, update your antivirus and run a full scan. Disconnect the computer from network to prevent the threat from spreading. Delete all recent freebies and check to see that your operating system is up-to-date.

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-By Dominic

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