Computer Malware

Computer virus symptoms:

A computer infected with a virus will generally give you some signs that something isn’t right. Some of the symptoms of having a computer malware on the computer are listed below: –

Unusual computer behavior:

If you have a virus on the computer, you can observe some strange things

happening on it. You may observe that the clicks are not responding, cursor moving on its own, files getting opened automatically. These are some the unusual computer behavior that one may observe which indicates that your computer has been attacked by a virus or a malware.

Sluggish computer performance and internet:

If your computer has become slower recently and the internet is also working very slow, then you may have a virus on the computer. However, it is not always because of a virus. One should also check the number of processes running in the task manager and check the internet speed from www.speedtest.net  before jumping on to any conclusion. It also depends on the system RAM and processor. But if everything mentioned above seems fine and you still face slow performance on the computer then it may be because of a virus on the computer.

Sudden freezes and crashes:

If all of a sudden, your screen freezes and you are not able to do anything, then

it could be because of a virus on the computer. Also if your computer restarts abruptly with a blue screen error message, it could be because of a virus.

Error messages:

Your computer will sense the feeling of having a virus on it before anyone else could and thus it starts displaying error messages on the computer. These messages could be related to missing some files such as DLL files or other application files.

Emails:

A common tendency of a virus is to replicate itself after it has been executed. It can also try to replicate using your email. Once that happens, your email address will start sending emails to your contacts with some unusual links or strange looking messages. These links usually contain executable files so that they can infect another person’s computer. Best thing to do in such a case is to not open such emails and click on any of the links in the email. Simply delete the email and tell your friend about this that his email is sending viruses to other computers.

Advertisements:

Another main symptom of having a computer malware is when your browser

start showing you ads even when you are not browsing anything on it. Do not

click these ads and check your browser extensions and delete the ones that

you find unusual or unknown.

Hard disk space:

Some viruses will install copies of files on your hard drive and thus make your hard drive spaceless. It can also delete some files from your computer.

So, keep a check on your hard disk space and if you notice any significant

changes in it, run your antivirus scan.

Hardware issues:

Sometimes you may have an issue with the display of the computer when it starts giving you pixels and colored lines on the screen. This could be a sign

that the virus is messing up with the display adapter.

Remember that your computer may not give you signs every time that it is infected so it is very important to run the virus scan regularly using your antivirus program. Also one has to be self-aware about the causes and how to prevent viruses.

Computer malware:

Malware is generally abbreviated as “Malicious Software” which is specially designed to perform a variety of functions including encrypting and deleting sensitive data, taking control over the core computing functions and manipulating the computer activity without user’s permission. There are different kinds of computer malware such as spyware, keyloggers, Trojan horses, worms, and viruses. Though the true intent behind creating a computer malware could be just for fun in some cases. It designed to do catastrophic damage to the computer and the sensitive information saved in it.

How does a computer malware work?

There are different ways a computer malware can spread through a computer or an entire network. It sent through an infected USB which once plugged into a computer, will spread the virus. Another way is the forced download through the internet when an automatic download from a website will occur which results in spreading the virus. To avoid this do not go to malicious websites which may have links to induce viruses in the system. Another common source of getting a malware is through email phishing.

In this, the user sends an email automatically to some or all of the contacts on the email containing executable files and links to spread the virus. Some highly advanced computer malware may allow the malware author to connect to the infected device or server and hence take over the information contained in the system. There also a type of computer malware known as “lifeless malware”. Which resides in the system RAM to avoid discovered by the user.