Signs Malware Has Infected Your Computer

Even when you place an anti-virus application on your computer, it is still possible for it to become infected. Malware constantly modifies itself in order to keep up with technology, placing your machine at risk even when you think you have it protected. This is particularly true if you forget to keep your anti-virus/anti-spyware program updated on a regular basis.

Here are several signs that your computer has an unwanted malware program installed on it.

  1. Slow Start Up and/or Shut Down
    If your computer suddenly becomes slow to start or shut down, it might not be because of Windows updates. In fact, the presence of some form of malware is likely to be the culprit. Since malware places files on your computer, it takes up valuable resources and slows down your computer’s performance, particularly during the startup and shut down of your machine.
  2. Poor Performance
    If your computer seems to take longer to complete even the simplest of tasks, you might have a malware infection. Malware typically usurps your computer’s resources, making it difficult to perform standard tasks such as loading a web page or opening a document. Even your email might take longer than usual to load.
  3. Pop-Up Ads
    In an attempt to get you to further infect your computer, malware programs typically deliver pop-up ads that suddenly appear on your screen. While many of these ads might simply appear in the center of your screen, they can also emerge at the bottom of the screen.Some malware programs now deliver these ads in the lower right-hand comer of the screen in order to mimic the notices prodded for legitimate software on your computer. This type of pop up often suggests that your computer is infeded with a virus The ad suggests you should click on it to scan your computer for malware or viruses in order to remove them. Unfortunately, if you do click on this type of pop up, you are probably allowing additional malware to install itself on your computer.
  4. Reduced Accessibility
    Malware often has the capability of preventing you from using your own files You might lose access to specific components of your hard drive or you might even lose complete access to everything you have stored on your computer. In fad, you might have difficulty finding files because the malware has changed their names.
  1. Re-routing of Searches
    Since malware attemptsto take over your computer, it sometimes redirects your internet searches in order to send you to one of its websites. The intent is to get you to click on an unsafe link so that your computer becomes infeded with newforms of malware, worms, and viruses. One of the signs that your computer has malware on it happens to be visual changes in the appearance of your browser. You might notice a new search bar on it or see other icons that you never noticed before your computer became infeded.
  1. Unusual Noises
    Since malware uses up some of your machine’s resources, it causes your computer to work harder. Asa result, you might hear your computer’s fan whirring and clicking as it works harder to respond to new demands from the malware. You might not notice this noise at first or recognize it as one of the signs of a malware infection, because it probably coincides with your own use of the computer. However, if you believe that your machine is operating more noisily, you should pay attention to when, how long, and how loudly this happens.
  1. Unexpected Shut Downs
    If your computer is suddenly strutting down unexpectedly on its own, your machine might be infected with malware. Moreover, if the computer overheats as a result of the added strain to your system, it could experience a complete shutdown.

The presence of malware often leads to poor computer performance, creating frustration and disappointment each time you boot up your machine. If your computer isn’t performing up to your expectations, look for signs that malware is the culprit and scan your machine with a reliable anti-virus/anti-spyware application to get rid of it. It might take more than one scan to do so, and you should consider using different programs to ensure you have completely removed insidious worms, viruses, and spyware from your computer.