Spyware/Virus Removal
One of the most common problems associated with today's cyber world is the unfortunate experience of getting infected with a virus and/or spyware just by doing a little web surfing or by opening an infected email.
Most people who have used computers for any length of time are familiar with viruses, but spyware may be a new term to many people. Spyware is a general term used for software that performs certain activities such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, often without your knowledge or consent.
Spyware may also be known as adware or malware. The symptoms of a virus infection and a spyware problem can be very similar. And sometimes they work together, so you need to check for and eliminate both. Some of the most common symptoms of a virus or spyware attack may include the following:
- You get a warning from antivirus programs you have installed.
- You get a warning from anti-spyware programs you have installed.
- You get frequent alerts from your firewall about an unknown program trying to access the internet.
- Your firewall or antivirus programs are often turned off unexpectedly.
- Your computer or internet connection has slowed down.
- Your web browser home page has changed.
- You get lots of pop-up advertisements.
- There are new toolbars in your browser that may be difficult to get rid of.
- New icons appear on your desktop.
- You can't get to certain websites.
- Your computer starts acting strangely or crashes frequently.
- Windows will not start at all or displays error messages while starting up.
If you suspect that you have been infected, it is important to take immediate action to remove the viruses and stop them from coming back. Some viruses and spyware are easily removed, and may certainly fall into the 'do-it-yourself' category. The first thing you need to do is stop and take a deep breath. Most importantly -- Don't Panic. In many cases, panic reactions can and do cause more damage than the actual virus.
Warning - Do NOT click on pop-up windows that tell you that you have some terrible virus or spyware, and then nicely offer free anti-virus or anti-spyware removal. These types of warnings are often triggered by the infection itself.
If you already have anti-virus software on your computer, download the latest definition files and perform a complete system scan. Then follow its instructions to remove any detected viruses.