Heimdal Security Company: 10 Warning Signs that Your Computer is Malware Infected
shared by maryazur565 on Jun 14
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Malware affects us all
The increasing number of Internet users worldwide creates an equal (or larger) number of opportunities for cyber criminals to take advantage of our systems. As we become more d...
ependent on the online environment, we can clearly see a massive growth in malware and cyber criminal activities all across the globe.
With so many ways out there to access and exploit vulnerable systems, we need to make sure we’re able to recognize a malware infection in order to prevent and defend our systems.
Because it is a battle and you need to be ready.
This article will show you what the main symptoms of a malware infected system are. You’ll also learn to correctly evaluate the risk and know where to look for a solution. Let’s get to it!
Symptoms of a malware infection
1. SLOWDOWN
Does it take longer than normal for your operating system to boot up?
Are you waiting too long for some of your programs to start?
It is a known fact that malware has the tendency to slow down your operating system, your Internet speed or the speed of your applications.
2. POP-UPS
One of the most annoying signs of malware is represented by the unwanted pop-up windows. Unexpected pop-ups which appear on the system are a typical sign of a spyware infection.
3. CRASHES
If your programs or your system crash constantly or the infamous BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) appears regularly, it’s a clear warning that your system is not working properly and you should look into it.
4. SUSPICIOUS HARD DRIVE ACTIVITY
Another warning sign of a potential malware infection on your system is the hard drive activity.
5. RUNNING OUT OF HARD DRIVE SPACE
Regarding the hard drive, you also need to check if your physical storage space has been increasing lately or if some of your files disappeared or changed their names.
6. UNUSUALLY HIGH NETWORK ACTIVITY
There are cases where the user is not connected to the Internet through his browser, and there is no program that may connect to online servers to download or upload any data, but high network activity can still be observed.
7. NEW BROWSER HOMEPAGE, NEW TOOLBARS and/or UNWANTED WEBSITES ACCESSED WITHOUT YOUR INPUT
Have you noticed that your home page has been changed and you don’t remember doing it yourself?
Did a new toolbar pop out of nowhere and landed at top of your web browser?
Have you tried to access your favorite blog, but you were redirected to a different address?
This usually happens when you visit a website and you accidentally click a link or a pop-up window. This triggers unwanted software to download and install on your device. Its effects are not only annoying, but also malicious.
8. UNUSUAL MESSAGES OR PROGRAMS THAT START AUTOMATICALLY
A few warning signs should really make you suspicious. If any of these happen, pay closer attention and try finding the cause.
9. YOUR SECURITY SOLUTION IS DISABLED
If your antivirus solution doesn’t seem to work anymore or if the Update module seems to be disabled, then check to see what happened immediately!
10. YOUR FRIENDS TELL YOUR THAT THEY’RE GETTING STRANGE MESSAGES FROM YOU
Are your friends telling you that they received suspicious emails from you or instant messages from your social media account, which often include attachments or links?
First of all, you need to verify whether those emails or messages were sent from one of your accounts (so check your Sent Items folder in your email/social media account). If there’s nothing there, those messages could have been delivered from an application which is out of your control.
Knowledge is our best weapon
Knowing how malicious software behaves on a regular system may just prove to be the key element between staying safe and having your system wrecked or your online identity stolen.
Since we live in a connected and complex environment, online security doesn’t end with installing a series of security programs and forgetting about them. It’s essential that we also understand how malware behaves on the system, so we can mitigate its impact.
In the end, it is our knowledge of malware tools and methods that keeps us safe, because it is far easier to prevent a threat from becoming reality than to take actions against it when it’s already too late.
Publisher
Mary AzurSource
https://padl.../114568259Category
ComputersGet a Quote
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