Detect if your device is infected with viruses or malicious code It is not an easy task, because these programs hide very well and you are usually not aware of their presence.
To solve this problem We will show you in the following paragraphs which are the main contagion mechanisms that intruders use to infect your operating system. We will also explain the most important signs when a computer is infected.
By last, you will know the steps to eliminate any type of virus and the best tips to protect your operating system. Check out.
How can a virus enter my operating system? Main contagion mechanisms
exist various mechanisms used by intruders to install a virus on an operating system. The most common is through email propagation and consists of sending an email to an address showing the name of someone trustworthy as the sender.
Then invites you to click on a button or follow a link, being that moment the malware download. Another method is by means of pirate software download. When a user wants to download a software without paying anything, it is likely that in that download also download harmful programs. The use of platforms to download torrent files is a good example of this.
Use an infected USB on a computer it is also a widely used way to get viruses into a device. Without you realizing it, a previous user used the flash memory on a computer where they agreed to click on a pop-up that warned of a risk or promised large sums of money like unreal prizes. Finally, you can infect your operating system if you browse pages that are not secure and they don’t have protocols HTTPS.
Learn step by step what are the main signs that your computer is infected with viruses
We will show you below, the steps you must follow to detect if your computer or mobile is infected:
Control the speed of your team
Team slowdown it is a clear sign that your computer has a virus. In other words, every time you have an excessive slowness on your mobile phone or computer to run programs or slowed down connectivity on the network, it is a sign that something is wrong. A overheating is another symptom that you should keep in mind when analyzing the presence of malware. If your computer heats up and freezes the images you see on the screen, you should pay attention.
Existence of unknown software
Find programs you didn’t install and that they have a sudden appearance every time you interact with the computer is a sign of the presence of malware. You can also control the extensions in your browser, programs or applications that appear constantly for you to install.
Antivirus inactivity
If you have an antivirus in your device and it remains inactive without you configuring it this way it is very likely that some malicious software has partially or permanently disabled Many many protection. You should be careful with some programs that pose as security software and They recommend you uninstall the antivirus you have so that they can work correctly. In this way, they erase or capture your personal information.
Pop-ups and excess advertising
In case you constantly see invasive advertising on your desktop You may have adware and spy cookies installed. Another way to detect the presence of malicious programs is when you browse, they appear alert messages, telling you that your computer has a virus and you must press a button or link. There are other methods that use “Your good luck”, informing you that you have won a good amount of money and to receive it you must press a button.
Excessive mobile data or bandwidth consumption
When you experience that the megabytes you hired are consumed in an exaggerated way, This is likely due to the data and bandwidth used by programs that run in the background without your consent. Another clue you have is that the activity on the network to which you connect is high in hours that you do not use it.
Abnormal performance
Viruses can prevent you from opening applications on any computer. They also generate instant redirects to unsolicited sites and block their use to remove malware. Further, if you find social media posts or emails that you didn’t make it is a good sign that you have a malicious program installed.
Steps to eliminate any type of virus from your operating system
Next, you will find the step by step you must follow to eliminate any type of virus in OS:
Inspect the behavior of your team
For this step you must take into account the points that we explained in the previous section. Pay attention to every detail and study the behavior when you interact with certain tools. Write each anomaly and keep this list in mind to compare it with the behavior when you have finished all the steps that we show you below.
Restart the computer in “Safe Mode”
If you have detected abnormal behavior, you will have to eliminate the viruses that you have installed on your computer. The first thing you should do is turn it off and restart it in “Safe Mode”. In this way, only the basic programs for operating the OS will be executed.
Perform a disk cleanup
While you are doing the cleaning process, it is recommended is that you disconnect from your Internet provider. If you prefer, you can delete the temporary files using the function “Disk Cleanup” in Windows or, use native tools for each OS. You will have to locate the damaged files, delete registry keys within the OS and examine the reliability of its services. If you want, you can use a Linux OS LiveCD for the more elusive files.
Run the antivirus
If you have an antivirus with an updated database, it does not matter if it is free, open it and examine your files and programs for viruses. As soon as a threat is identified, the program will issue an alarm for it to be eliminated or quarantined. Perhaps the one you are currently using will not identify the virus or will not be able to exterminate it, in which case you will have to opt for a more effective protection service.
You will need a virus scanner that also works in the background, that is to say while you use the computer. For the Windows 10 version there is a native protection tool called Windows Defender. Although it is not the most efficient that exists, but it is capable of exposing certain hidden malicious software. You also have the Microsoft tool MSRT.exe if you don’t have pre-installed scanners.
Format your PC by reinstalling the OS
Taking extreme measures by formatting the computer does not hurt. Simply reinstall factory windows or the OS you have on your device. In this way you will be able to eliminate any unwanted file. This frees you from viruses that may reappear once deleted or any trace of them. In case you deal with Android or iOS, you can carry out this process through the function “Factory values”. You should not forget that you will have to carry out previously backup copies of your mobile or computer.
Delete cookies, temporary files and the download folder
Another factor that you should take into account is to erase data from Trash and Restore Points, as well as the cookies, the temporary files and also the file that you have destined to save the downloads. With this process all the problems you have on your computer disappear, even those related to malware in the browser. Remember that USB sticks and external hard drives They can also have infected files, scan them too.
Tips to protect your operating systems and prevent them from being infected with viruses
Known the best tips to protect your devices regardless of the operating system you have installed. This way you can prevent them from being infected by malware.
Check out:
Don’t open emails from unknown senders
One of the best known and most used strategies to introduce malicious software is through corrupt emails. Usually they arrive automatically in the spam mailbox. But if you find a strange message from a friend, organization or government service, you should be suspicious immediately. Do not click on any link, do not download attached documents or anything that catches your attention and that they relate to topics that you did not expect.
Avoid unreliable file downloads
Download apps or programs from unofficial stores leaves you exposed to malware attack. Be very careful with the access permissions that these software require. You must keep in mind if they are invasive so that you can make a good decision. Also if you want to download from a page that seems reliablePlease pay attention and always choose to do it for a custom installation.
Browse secure web pages
There are websites designed by hackers to steal information. For this reason, always try to navigate through secure pages with protocol HTTPS. Also, don’t click on ads without first reading what they’re about. The most dangerous pop-ups they are the ones that warn you that the PC needs a complement or is infected.
Continuously update your OS
Maybe you don’t pay attention to updates from Microsoft Windows or any other operating system. However, much of these are intended to shield defenses. For this reason, update not only the OS but also all the programs you have installed.
Choose a good antivirus
These security systems defend you from spyware, adware, worms, trojans and else. Some in their paid versions guarantee you an extra level of security. For example, real-time protection and permanent updating. This makes it clear that it is a mistake not to have any protection against computer viruses.
Clean USB sticks
Never insert a USB memory into your PC without knowing its origin or in which equipment it was connected. In fact, if you read it on another computer, disinfect it before continuing to use it on yours.