If you think your computer has a virus a good first step in solving the problem would be to
What is malware?Malware is a term that is used for malicious software that is designed to do damage or unwanted actions to a computer system. Examples of malware include the following: Show
Select a heading below for more information A computer virus is a small software program that spreads from one computer to another and interferes with computer operation. A computer virus might corrupt or delete data on a computer, use an email program to spread the virus to other computers, or even delete everything on the hard disk. Computer viruses are frequently spread by attachments in email messages or by instant messaging messages. Therefore, you must never open an email attachment unless you know who sent the message or you are expecting the email attachment. Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files. Computer viruses also spread through downloads on the Internet. They can be hidden in pirated software or in other files or programs that you might download. Tip: For information about the symptoms of a computer virus, go to the Microsoft PC Security website. A worm is computer code that spreads without user interaction. Most worms begin as email attachments that infect a computer when they're opened. The worm scans the infected computer for files, such as address books or temporary webpages, that contain email addresses. The worm uses the addresses to send infected email messages, and frequently mimics (or spoofs) the "From" addresses in later email messages so that those infected messages seem to be from someone you know. Worms then spread automatically through email messages, networks, or operating system vulnerabilities, frequently overwhelming those systems before the cause is known. Worms aren't always destructive to computers, but they usually cause computer and network performance and stability problems. A trojan horse is a malicious software program that hides inside other programs. It enters a computer hidden inside a legitimate program, such as a screen saver. Then it puts code into the operating system that enables a hacker to access the infected computer. Trojan horses do not usually spread by themselves. They are spread by viruses, worms, or downloaded software. Spyware can install on your computer without your knowledge. These programs can change your computer’s configuration or collect advertising data and personal information. Spyware can track Internet search habits and can also redirect your web browser to a different website than you intend to go to. A rogue security software program tries to make you think that your computer is infected by a virus and usually prompts you to download or buy a product that removes the virus. The names of these products frequently contain words like Antivirus, Shield, Security, Protection, or Fixer. This makes them sound legitimate. They frequently run right after you download them, or the next time that your computer starts. Rogue security software can prevent applications, such as Internet Explorer, from opening. Rogue security software might also display legitimate and important Windows files as infections. Typical error messages or pop-up messages might contain the following phrases: Warning! Are you sure you want to navigate from this page? For more information see Protect yourself from tech support scams. How to remove malware such as a virus, spyware, or rogue security softwareRemoving a computer virus or spyware can be difficult without the help of malicious software removal tools. Some computer viruses and other unwanted software reinstall themselves after the viruses and spyware are detected and removed. Fortunately, by updating the computer and by using malicious software removal tools, you can help permanently remove unwanted software. For more information about how to remove a computer virus and spyware, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 2671662 - Microsoft resources and guidance for removal of malware and viruses 1. Install the latest updates from Microsoft UpdateNote A computer virus may prevent you from accessing the Microsoft Update website to install the latest updates. We recommend that you set the Automatic Updates service to run automatically so that a computer is not missing any important updates. For more information, see Windows Update: FAQ
2. Use the free Microsoft Safety ScannerMicrosoft offers a free online tool that scans and helps remove potential threats from your computer. To perform the scan, go to the Microsoft Safety Scanner website. 3. Use the Windows Malicious Software Removal ToolFor more information about the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 890830 - Remove specific prevalent malware with Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool 4. Manually remove the rogue security softwareIf the rogue security software can’t be detected or removed by using Microsoft Safety Scanner or the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, try the following steps:
If you suspect that your computer is infected with rogue security software that was not detected by using Microsoft security solutions, you can submit samples by using the Microsoft Malware Protection Center submission form. 5. Run Microsoft Defender OfflineMicrosoft Defender Offline is an anti-malware tool that helps remove difficult to eliminate viruses that start before Windows starts. Starting with Windows 10, Microsoft Defender Offline is built in. To use it follow the steps in this article: Help protect my PC with Microsoft Defender Offline.
Once malware is running in your computer's memory it can be harder to remove. The malware is often created with what we call "persistence" which means that if it's running and sees that its files have been deleted or quarantined by security software, the malware will attempt to re-write the files to your drive. Restarting gives us a chance to load Windows without loading the malware, so we can clean the files off the drive without the malware in memory attempting to reinstall itself. How to protect your computer against malwareThere are actions that you can take to help protect your computer against malware. Turn on the firewallConfirm that the Windows firewall is turned on. See Turn Microsoft Defender Firewall on or off for instructions on how to do that on modern versions of Windows.
Keep your computer up to dateFor more information about how to set Automatic Updates in Windows, see Windows Update: FAQ Don’t be tricked into downloading malwareHere are some tips that can help protect you from downloading software that you don't want:
For more information about how to protect a computer against viruses, see Protect my PC from viruses. How to obtain computer virus and security-related supportIn the United States: Want to chat with a live person? Our Answer Tech trained professionals are ready to help: Answer Desk Security information and training For computer virus and
security-related support for locations outside North America, go to the Microsoft Support website. What to do if you think your computer has a virus?If your PC has a virus, following these ten simple steps will help you to get rid of it:. Step 1: Download and install a virus scanner. ... . Step 2: Disconnect from internet. ... . Step 3: Reboot your computer into safe mode. ... . Step 4: Delete any temporary files. ... . Step 5: Run a virus scan. ... . Step 6: Delete or quarantine the virus.. How can you tell if your computer has a virus?Here's how to help know if your computer has a virus.. 9 signs of a computer virus.. Slow-down of your computer's performance. ... . Endless pop-ups and spam. ... . You're locked out of your computer. ... . Changes to your homepage. ... . Unknown programs starting on your computer. ... . Mass emails sent from your email account.. What are the five steps to ensure safety from computer virus?5 Simple Steps to Protect Your PC from Virus. Install a virus protection or an antivirus software and perform regular updates.. Create strong passwords.. Be cautious with emails links.. Use a firewall and enhance your browser's Privacy Settings.. Use pop-up blocker and adjust your User Account Control.. How do you remove a virus?How to remove viruses and other malware from your Android device. Power off the phone and reboot in safe mode. Press the power button to access the Power Off options. ... . Uninstall the suspicious app. ... . Look for other apps you think may be infected. ... . Install a robust mobile security app on your phone.. |