Internet Security 101: Removing Malware

Malware is serious threat that many Internet users are not aware of. Even experienced users who carefully browse the Internet and avoid opening websites or files that look suspicious end up with infected devices. Therefore, it is important to remain as vigilant as possible and to keep a malware removal tool at hand.

Malware

Once malware or ‘malicious software’ infects a computer, it can cause a lot of damage. Some malware is extremely dangerous and can corrupt the operating system of a device. Others cause only minor annoyances such as slowing down the speed of the device or popping random notifications on the screen. It is important to understand how to remove malware from an infected system.

Analysis

The first step in removing malware is to analyze the impact it has add on the system. Maintaining Internet Security requires having current knowledge about how to protect a system from security threats. Experts have stated that about 500 new viruses appear on the Internet on a daily basis. Fortunately, malware removal and other Internet Security applications are also updated just as regularly.

Analyzing the damage caused by a malware involves first restarting the device. If the device loads the operating system properly, then system files probably have not been corrupted. The worst case scenario is when the computer is unable to load the OS. If such a situation occurs, it is recommended to extract all of the data from the hard drive and to format it. Once the hard drive is formatted, a user can reinstall a fresh copy of the Operating System. This is why keeping backups of data on a separate external hard drive is extremely important.

Removing Malware

There are many utilities freely available on the Internet that can be used to remove malware. Some of these utilities allow users to take a look at all of the programs that are running in the background. Each program has its own signature code. Knowing which code signature is genuine is a good way of identifying which application the malware is hiding underneath. Once suspicious programs have been identified, users can remove them directly using the same utility.

Other malware removal tools will automatically scan the entire system looking for infections. It is important to make sure the removal application is fully updated with the latest malware definitions. Most fully functional antivirus programs have in-built malware scanners that protect a device in real time. However, it is good practice to install an application that is designed specifically for the purpose of identifying and removing malware. Or connect to the internet with a VPNfor iPad is recommended to protect your devices.