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Viruses, Spyware, Trojans, Ransomware, are all coming under the category of Malware. Before we look into the sign of Malware it is important to understand the mechanism of how a computer virus works. These Viruses are a man made simple programs that is loaded into a computer without the user's consent. After they have taken over they need a file or a document for it to replicate as a result they can alter the way of how a computer works. After the Virus has been successfully attached to its host file it will remain inactive and will not show any signs, only if the user runs the program the Virus may show its signs.
If the computer has been connected to other computers through a network they can transfer from one system to another. The goal of the hackers is to design a Virus that can widespread its effects to the maximum level. That's the reason Microsoft Windows 10 Operating system gets more Malware attacks than the others. After getting effected the computer can show various signs and symptoms that something is wrong. If the users do not take necessary actions to eliminate them it can cause costly damages to your system.
Throughout the post we will be discussing 10 Symptoms of Malware Infection, so the users will get know whether their system has been effected or not.
Let's jump into the topic,
1. Unusual Popup Advertisements
Its common to see few popup ads while you browse the internet, if you notice huge number of popup ads than usual then it is a clear sign of a Malware attack. These Popup ads can vary from installing free softwares, fake websites, surveys and lottery prizes.
Never click on these popups because they are made to generate a income to the hacker, everytime a user clicks on these ads a revenue is made by the attacker. And also these kinds of Malwares can be very dangerous because the users can loose their confidential information such as Bank login details and Credit card details.
2. Change Of Browser Homepage
In most cases when installing applications people do the mistake of skipping to read the terms and conditions. What happens is in certain parts of terms and conditions it can be mentioned that there will be a new default browser installed. These new default browser can be from a hijacker which was created to change the internet browser settings.
Therefore the default homepage can be changed and unwanted tabs can be opened. These makes the users confuse actually where the browser hijackers came from while in reality they have agreed to install it.
3. Anti Virus And Firewall Protections Are Disabled
Some Malwares are capable of disabling the Anti Virus and Firewall protection. Sometimes the Anti Virus protection can be completely removed and updates will be stopped.
Even if the users tries to install it he/she will not be able to run it as the Malwares have already hijacked the system. The purpose of these kinds of disabling is to stop warning the user about the Malware.
4. Computer Freezes And Crashes
When performing important tasks with your computer the system can be hanged and ultimately lead to a Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD) .
These are also a clear sign of Malware attack because the Malware that has hijacked your system may be running several programs and taking up the computer memory. Some can seriously attack to a level that even Ctrl + Alt + Del may stop working.
5. Files Deleted
As mentioned earlier Viruses need a host for it to be replicated, in most cases .exe files may be the victim. When the Virus finds the suitable file to attack it may delete all of its data including the shortcut.
Once the required files are missing the others applications may also stop working. As a result the users may get many error messages when trying to launch other programs.
6. Lack Of Hard drive Space
Malwares have the capability of installing unknown programs that you don't actually install. This makes unusual files and shortcuts being found on your desktop.
Apart from running on the background and making your computer slower they can drastically decrease your storage space.
7. Bulk Emails Sent
Spyware is kind of Malware that can hijack your password and other login details. When they does they can send a large number of spam emails with an attachment or a link to your friends. When your friends open the attachment and click on the link their system can be too infected by the Malware.
So be sure to check the sent folder on your email account to watch for any suspicious activities.
8. High Internet Traffic
Sometimes when you use the internet you can see the error message displayed as '' Unusual traffic from the computer network ''. These messages are identified by your search engine as a Malicious search and not a human search.
The reason for the error is the Malware is sending your system informations to a third party using your network.
9. Battery Life Decreased
If you are a Laptop user and experience a drastic amount of Battery drainage, then Malware attacks may be one of the reasons for the cause.
Basically when a Malware takes over it can make unwanted programs run on the background and increase your CPU usage, this makes the system including the battery to heat up. As a result the battery may be draining out quickly.
[ FURTHER READING : How to Increase Your Laptop Battery Life ]
10. Slow Computer And Internet Performance
Malwares like Trojans and Worms can make too much programs to run and take too much resources from the memory. This fails your applications to launch and programs to stop responding.
Apart from the computer performance the Malware can be downloading and uploading resources which ultimately make the internet slower.
[ FURTHER READING : 10 Best Ways to Speed Up a Slow Computer ]
Thank you! I was starting to get worried over nothing.
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