Handy tips and tricks for identifying malware

Handy tips and tricks for identifying malware
We live in a world that is dominated by computers. For many people, they are a necessity that is essential for daily life. We use them to watch videos, write term papers, do our taxes and so many other tasks. Computers truly are one of the greatest inventions in the history of mankind. However, there is a threat to your computer that is always lurking and waiting to cause problems when you least expect it. This threat goes by the name of malware.

If you own a computer long enough, you will eventually have to deal with this menace. Having your computer get infected by malware can be an annoying hassle that ruins your day and slows down the work you need to get done. However, if you know a few tips, you can get a resolution to these issues before they get out of hand. If you are able to identify the malware infection symptoms, you will be able to get your computer working perfectly. You will also be able to safe-guard it from being attacked by malware in the future. The five tips below will allow you to recognize that signs that your machine is contaminated with malware:

1. Browser offline

If you are not able to access the Internet, but you are certain that you are still connected to the network, a malware infection might be in progress. You will first need to go to Internet Options > LAN Settings to see if any foreign proxy is currently in use. There is malware that is able to configure your browser to allow it to enter through a proxy that is unsafe. If this is the case, eliminate these proxy settings.

2. Change of Google links and/or home page

If your home page changes by itself, this is a good indicator that malware is present. This is also the case if you click on a link provided by a search engine and you are taken to a different site. If these things are happening, there is an extremely strong possibility malware is the cause.

3. Your PC is slowing down

One of the most common problems created by malware is slowing down the computer it is infecting. The decrease in speed can be related to a specific application or the network performance as a whole. It is important to note that just because a computer is slow, it does not automatically mean malware is the cause. A small amount of memory or a fragmented system are also common causes of slow computers. Therefore, regularly schedule maintenance on your computer, such as disk cleanup, running a check-disk and defragmenting your hard-disks. If you perform all these tasks and your computer remains slow, malware may very well be the culprit.

4. Pop-ups

Every person on the Internet knows how annoying pop-ups can be. Persistent pop-ups are a prime indicator of a malware infection. To get rid of these pop-ups, you will need to use an anti-malware application.

5. Software

Using anti-malware software is the most common method of finding malware on a computer. This type of software is also able to detect adware and spyware.