The following signs indicate that malware is active on your system:
- Sudden pop-ups and ads on the browser
If you suddenly see an unusual number of pop-ups and ads while browsing, your PC might be infected. These pop-ups and ads may lead to malicious websites or contain malicious code. - Slow PC and frequent crashes
malware and malicious software cause slow PC and frequent crashes by consuming resources, corrupting files, or launching unwanted processes and accessing the Internet, or even mining Bitcoin for an attacker. - Unexplained Internet data transfer
If you notice that your Internet data is being used up faster than expected or that your Internet connection is unusually slow, it could be that your PC or a program is inexplicably transferring data in the background. - Unwanted search engines
malware often installs unwanted search engines in order to redirect users to fraudulent websites, collect personal information, display advertisements or perform other malicious actions.
You can take the following steps if you suspect that your computer is infected by malware.
Disconnect your PC from the Internet:
The first step is to disconnect your PC from the Internet immediately. There is a risk that your PC may be remotely controlled, spied on or used to spread spam. Sophisticated malware can download additional malware from the Internet and even infect other computers on your network. To avoid this, turn off all other PCs or disconnect them from the router if you need temporary Internet access for your suspicious PC.
Check your virus scanner:
Next, check your installed virus scanner. If you receive a warning message, take note of its appearance. A sudden different-looking warning message from an unknown virus scanner is a sure sign of infection. Be wary of fake antivirus messages that try to make you not trust your installed security program and purchase a new antivirus. Do not click on such links that may lead to fraudulent websites. Save in-progress files and shut down the PC. Restart the PC in "Safe Mode without Network" and uninstall the suspicious software. If this fails, reset the system to a previous state.
Tip: Use our partner network and find an expert IT partner in your area to help you with these steps.
Stop all potentially malicious processes with "AwayVir":
If the oldest system restore point does not go back far enough, you may be able to get ahead with the "AwayVir" program. You can get the program from the Langmeier website. Install the program in safe mode or launch the portable version from a USB stick.
AwayVir performs a deactivation of all processes that do not belong to the operating system. This puts the operating system in a state similar to the one after a fresh installation. In all likelihood, all malicious processes will be disabled, after which an antivirus program can remove the inactive remnants and continue cleaning the system.
For prevention, a program like AwayVir should always be already installed on the computer, so that it does not have to be downloaded and installed first if needed. Because, if a malware becomes really active, the connection to the Internet is often no longer possible.
