SIGNS THAT YOUR COMPUTER IS INFECTED WITH VIRUS
It spies on you in secret, pumps your computer's resources, destroys your files or bombards you with advertisements: the computer virus installs itself without your knowledge and sometimes lurks for years before being discovered. However, certain signs can put you off flea in the ear.
1. Your computer is idling
A computer that suddenly becomes
particularly slow may have been infected with a virus. But this is not
sufficient proof. Today, many applications are very resource intensive.
Internet browsers or antiviruses are therefore among the most consuming
programs. An overfilled hard drive or an out-of-date system will also cause
slowdowns.
If you are bombarded with adware
popping up on your screen (pop-up), you are probably the victim of adware, an
abusive adware. This type of malware is activated when you click on a link
containing a piece of code. Subsequently, internet browsing is transformed into
a veritable fireworks display of pop-up advertising. More insidious, some
adware sometimes automatically redirects normal internet pages like Google.fr
to merchant sites.
3. The mouse moves on the screen by itself
If the little arrow is moving on
the screen when you have not touched the mouse, it is a very bad sign: It means
that a hacker has infiltrated the computer and has taken control. Usually,
however, the hacker manages to make the infiltration more covert, by grabbing
the webcam, listening through the microphone, or recording anything you type on
the keyboard.
4. Applications close unexpectedly
Do your apps crash for no reason
or the screen freezes blue while watching a video? It may be the work of
malware (malicious software). However, these malfunctions are also often linked
to a technical problem, if for example you have mistakenly deleted a register
from your computer allowing the program to run correctly, or if the application
update is no longer compatible with your computer operating system.
5. Your friends receive emails from you that you never sent
If your friends are receiving
messages sent from your email address or social media messages from your
profile, your email has been hacked. In this case, you are strongly advised to
change the password for your e-mail and all the services to which the e-mail address
concerned is associated.
6. You cannot edit or save a file
An error message such as cannot
save the document because it has been modified or moved appears when you want
to close it. Variant: a message indicates that you do not have the necessary
authorization to access your file. In either case, malware likely accessed the
file without your knowledge. To check it, you just have to right click on the
file, go to > Read information and check when it was modified or opened the
last time.
7. The computer is overheating
You should be worried about a
computer with a 24-hour fan that is heating up abnormally. First of all because
it damages the components, which are very sensitive to heat, but also because
it is often a sign that malware is draining all the resources of your computer.
"In this case, it is sometimes about hackers who mobilize computing
resources from outside to undermine cryptocurrency for their benefit.
8. Unknown extensions have been added to the internet browser
Some malware unwittingly installs
web extensions that will collect your data to resell it for targeting
advertising, or disrupt your internet browsing. Unfortunately, this type of
mishap sometimes occurs with extensions that you downloaded yourself, but which
are poorly secured, making it easier for a virus to intrude into the computer.
As a precaution, uninstall any applications that are not from a trusted
software vendor.
9. A recurring error message tells you that your antivirus is
disabled
It's a shame: some malware is able
to disable antivirus software, so that they can no longer detect their
activity. Recently, we discovered a ransomware (software that ransomed you)
named Snatch, which deposits a key in the registry of the operating system of
PCs: this causes Windows to start in safe mode, that is to say - say without
protection. A slightly more basic variant is all the rage right now: a message
appears on the screen warning you that your computer is infected with a virus.
You are then invited to call a hotline to get rid of it. These are recurring
scams in which the scammer (scammer) makes believe that your computer is
infected and asks for a sum in exchange for its repair.
The best antivirus is you!
Are you infected with a virus?
Don't panic: antiviruses are getting better and better at detecting and erasing
malware.
It is of course essential to use
anti- malware software and to carry out periodic scans, but above all, common
sense must be used to ensure that you do not find an unusable computer. Do not
click on suspicious links, open unidentified attachments, or download software
from an unknown publisher.
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