How Do I Check And Protect My Systems From Viruses And Malware?

Modern viruses and malware are made to circumvent standard defenses, which means that both sides are always updating their tactics. At Spot Migration, our cutting-edge cybersecurity and information technology (IT) solutions operate around the clock, allowing businesses to carry on as usual while blocking active attackers. We recover infected PCs from complex zero-day malware, spyware, Trojan viruses, rootkits, and other dangers that can circumvent real-time antivirus software. Learn more from Spot Migration about protecting your system from viruses and other malware. If you have any questions please give us a call at (312) 561-9703.

How Do I Know If I Have Malware?

Image by Ed Hardie is licensed with Unsplash License

Advanced threats can successfully conceal themselves from both pre-installed protection software and computer users. The effects of malware, however, can be detected on your computer in several ways, including:

• Your computer stutters or has longer loading and response times.
• Your device regularly restarts, freezes, or crashes.
• Your browser takes you to a different website than the one you intended to visit.
• Your computer shows numerous pop-ups and advertisements.
• Emails or other messages are sent by your account without your consent.
• The battery life on your device drains faster than usual.

Malware can be discovered in a variety of ways depending on the type. Spyware-like software prefers to go undetected, whereas adware and ransomware are more visible. If you keep an eye out for malware, you can remove it with an appropriate security tool, such as Windows Defender, before it causes any real harm. Make sure you have a reliable antivirus application and firewall. To secure yourself as much as possible, use strong passwords, connect to the internet using a virtual private network (VPN), and think about switching to a Linux OS.

How Can I Screen for Viruses?

Outside of actual malware scanning programs, how you screen your computer for viruses will depend on the operating system (OS) that’s installed. With Windows, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the task manager, which can be accessed by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc or by right-clicking the Windows taskbar and choosing “Task Manager.”

It’s typical to see many processes listed here, and several of these procedures go by specific titles. This is common and doesn’t mean any of those processes are malicious. You can look up each one by name and will likely find important background processes related to useful installed apps, your OS, or your PC’s manufacturer.

When you look up an unfamiliar process name online and you see that it’s malware, you can usually remove it safely by clicking to open the location and deleting the file. Other times, the process isn’t so simple. Sometimes a process might claim to be “Google Chrome” or “chrome.exe,” or it might be named as something that seems related to the OS.

Keep in mind that older, unsupported systems, such as Windows 7, won’t have an effectively updated malware and virus scanner compared to a newer OS. It’s highly recommended that you upgrade to a newer, currently supported form of Windows, consider switching to a Linux-based platform, or consider other options to move to a more advanced, defendable system.

How Did My Computer Get Malware?

Typically, malware is installed unintentionally, such as by clicking on a malicious link, and it can be concealed or packaged within other software. Always think twice before downloading files from shady websites. For instance, some sites offer free versions of normally paid tools that appear to be innocent but could be hiding a Trojan virus. Outdated systems, particularly outdated OS anti-virus or anti-malware software, could offer another explanation of how malware got on your computer.

How Can I Defend My Business From Malware?

Among the many things you should do as a business owner to safeguard your company, one of the biggest is ensuring protection and awareness of potential cybersecurity threats. Cybercriminals can readily access the systems and data of people who don’t know or downplay the risks of certain online activities, and for a business with even minimal online activity, the costs of a breach could be massive.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive, affordable approach to cybersecurity and managed IT, get started with Spot Migration today. For now, here’s a useful checklist to keep your computers or systems free of malware:

• Only obtain files from reliable sources.
• Be wary of emails or texts that ask you to open an attachment or click a link.
• Only download apps from the App Store or Google Play, and check their reviews.
• Maintain firewall and security software upgrades, turning on automatic updates whenever possible.
• Make sure your OS and internet browser are up to date.
• Examine the permissions that applications demand before letting them run.
• Employ multifactor authentication and complex passwords.
• Back up critical files outside of your network.
• Scan your devices’ security regularly.

For a business, you must evaluate the security of your supply chain because it may reveal security gaps that someone could exploit. Employees at all levels should be informed of the first measures to take in the event of a potential malware attack, how to recognize phishing emails and texts, and where to report fraud and scams. From there, you can practice your disaster recovery procedures and make sure that your business is ready for an attack.

Malware-infected emails and texts frequently have a sense of urgency, pressing the recipient to click a link to avert negative outcomes. These, among other details, can make even a prepared team vulnerable to certain malware and cyber-attack strategies. Spot Migration is here to assist businesses at all levels of familiarity with cybersecurity, so don’t hesitate to browse our services. 

Safeguard Your Systems Against Malware With Spot Migration

Malware may be common, but it’s still possible to avoid it. Several preventive measures are simple to implement, inexpensive, and require little work. By interfering with crucial processes and stealing or encrypting crucial data, malware can drastically hurt your business.

At Spot Migration, our goal is IT security and giving our customers total peace of mind. Our list of IT services includes strategic IT planning, cybersecurity, cloud services, compliance implementation, work-from-home solutions, IT projects and server upgrades, on-site IT support, data backup and recovery, internet phone solutions, and connectivity solutions. We can safeguard your device or business with fully managed or supplemental IT services.

Spot Migration offers a full suite of managed IT services, with customized plans tailored to suit each client. Contact us today to set up a consultation that’ll answer all of the above questions and more for your business.

Need Help?

Need some help with this or other IT strategies? Book a call with us to talk about how to build IT strategies that get the most bang for your buck.

We have helped companies become more efficient than ever. Right now, we’re working with companies that have seen 5+% increases in productivity companywide.

We can help you create a successful strategy and formulate a roadmap to ease the transition.