How to Diagnose Potential Spyware or Virus Issues and Correct Them

Has your computer recently acted much slower than it did when you first purchased it? Do you notice obnoxious pop-ups when browsing, or even sometimes when you are not doing anything at all? Are security warnings flashing at you constantly, telling you that your system is infected? If any or all of these scenarios sound familiar, then your computer might be infected with some malicious spyware programs, or a virus that can bring your system to its knees.

One of the first things to do when you suspect your system is infected is to disconnect yourself from the internet. Many of these viruses or spyware programs will use your internet connection to contact a remote server to send and receive data. The most malicious of these programs can transmit your personal data, or even every keystroke that you type, intercepting your passwords or credit card numbers. Keeping the infected machine isolated completely cuts off contact with any would-be predators.

Once the computer is disconnected from the internet, it's time to remove the viruses and spyware. There are several free programs available, but care must be taken because there are also harmful programs that will pretend to be virus and spyware scanning utilities. They will often disguise themselves as more well-known programs, or even as a Windows security center. Always take care to verify that whatever program you decide to use is from a legitimate source, and make sure that when you go to download the program, it is from the actual manufacturer's website. Google searching for a virus or spyware scanner will often pop up several bogus websites attempting to trick a user into downloading more spyware.

My personal preference for a spyware scanner is malwarebytes. This can be downloaded at www.malwarebytes.org. It is very simple to use and is very thorough in removal. This program will not detect many viruses; its intended use is to find malicious programs. For a solid, free virus scanner, I recommend AVG Free. This can be downloaded at free.avg.com. Between these two programs, you can detect nearly any threat that is on your computer, without paying a penny. Of course, both of these programs offer paid versions, which may suit your needs better if you are a heavy internet user, or if your internet usage involves higher-risk sites, such as adult content or peer to peer downloading.

There are times when these scanners may not function properly. Some virusus or spyware programs can be meant to specifically disable most scanners from running. If your system is infected with these, the process for removal tends to be much more complex, and typically must be handled on a case-by-case basis, since each of these malicious programs may disable your programs in a different manner. If you intend to continue use on a computer which is blocking you from removing the viruses and spyware yourself, you should probably take your computer to a local shop for professional assistance. In the most severe cases, your Windows operating system might need to be reinstalled from scratch, so if the technician suggests this, it is likely in your best interest.

As with real-life viruses and sicknesses, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You can do a lot to help prevent yourself from getting viruses and spyware on your computer. Keep your Windows operating system up to date whenever possible. Microsoft puts out updates on a regular basis to close security vulernabilities that let these programs into your system. If you don't already have an active virus scanner, I recommend getting one and leaving it on at all times (the AVG free will do a great job of this). Never open an email from a source that you don't trust. Don't even click on it! The simple act of viewing a malicious email can download viruses and spyware to your machine without even hinting to you that anything bad has happened. Finally, make sure that when you go to a website, the address matches the site that you intended to visit. Fake websites are abundant and can be disguised to look every bit as real as the site they are posing as.

With these tools and tips in your hands, you can clean most of the day-to-day virus and spyware threats on the internet, and through surfing smarter and with better anti-virus and spyware protection, they will be hard-pressed to find their way back onto your system.