If you use the internet frequently then odds are you are concerned with the ever growing number of viruses, spam and malware applications found online that can infect your computer. These types of programs can hijack your computer, copy your personal information, and corrupt your hard drive. While you may be aware that you should avoid downloading software from unknown sources, or opening emails from suspicious senders, how can you determine if your PC has been affected by a virus that didn’t come from an obvious source? If you suspect that your PC has been infected by a virus, Trojan or other malicious software, how can you tell, and what can you do to prevent them from doing damage?

Computer or Browser Slowdown

One of the most common signs that you may have a virus, or other type of malware on your computer is that it is running more slowly than usual. This may include a slower start-up, reduced speed of your internet connection, and the sound of your fan or processor running more frequently than usual. To find out what programs are running on your PC,

1. Hit ctrl>alt>delete to start-up the Task Manager.


2. From there click the Processes tab to get a list of programs currently running on your PC.


3. Search through the list for programs that are not familiar to you.

There may be quite a few programs that are not familiar to you, but a search online for them will clarify whether or not they are supposed to be running. A good place to start is by looking at the Java and ActiveX applications first as these are typically the usual suspects.

The best method is to verify a strange or suspicious item.  Don't just disable it, but do check online (such as at Google) to see what the suspicious item is.  If you find that it's no good, stop the process and see if you can uninstall the program it belongs to. 

Browser Hijacking

Another sign that you may have an infected computer is that you experience a number of random or unsolicited pop-ups while browsing the internet. This can also be a sign that you have navigated to a site that contains a Trojan, or application that may allow hackers to hijack your PC for a number of reasons. It is always a good idea in these cases to close your browser to prevent the malware from downloading to your computer.

Rogue Anti-spyware or Anti-Malware

A common interface for Trojans or other types of spyware or malware is as fake antispyware or antimalware programs that shows up on your PC, but that you did not purchase or download. Deleting these programs from your computer by properly uninstalling them should work in removing them from your computer.

Unsolicited Browser Toolbars

While there are a number of toolbars from websites such as Google and Yahoo that can offer useful tools to enhance your online experience, if you suddenly notice a toolbar on your PC or as part of your browser that you didn’t install yourself, it may be a virus or other malicious type of software. Locating the program in Task Manager and uninstalling it should work.

“Windows Security Center” Alerts

Windows Security Center is the build-in alert system that is part of your Windows operating system which is designed to inform you when there are updates available for your computer, or when your security settings are out of date. It is also the system that alerts you when a program is initiated while navigating the web. While this application is suppose to protect you, there are a number of malware applications that have use this familiar interface to trick internet users into unknowingly downloading malware to your computer.

The best way to protect yourself from viruses and other unwanted programs and applications from being downloaded to your computer is by making sure that you have up-to-date anti-virus software. It is also important to keep your PC and the programs you run on it updated. Setting up automatic updates is a convenient way to maintain your PC hassle free.