- Joined
- Nov 10, 2014
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Identifying Malware
- Your default browser page and/or search engine is new or has been changed (not by you).
- You receive emails without a sender or subject, often asking you to click on links or download a program (especially .exe or .rar files) and/or strange emails are being sent out by you without your knowledge.
- Your browser freezes or crashes.
- You are redirected to web pages other than what you intended.
- You are repeatedly plagued by pop-up messages and ads.
- Your PC lags, freezes, and/or crashes.
- There are new desktop icons you did not put there.
- Your PC restarts itself without prompting (not update related).
- Messages keep popping up referring to strange errors or corrupt files.
- You are unable to access certain programs on your PC or certain websites and your settings have changed.
- There are strange names in your list of installed programs (see Control Panel>Uninstall/Change a Program).
Popular Forms of Protection
- Firewall ? a ?gatekeeping? form of protection on your computer that blocks attacks by monitoring and filtering data traffic on your PC.
- Antivirus or anti-malware software ? used to detect, prevent, and remove harmful programs such as viruses, Trojans, and worms from your PC.
- Antispyware software ? Spyware can be secretly downloaded to your PC. It can monitor your activity, collect and send your information across the Internet, and even hijack your browser.
- Spam filters ? keep junk and unsolicited mail out of your inbox.
- Pop-up blockers ? prevent unwanted ads or potentially harmful links from popping up in your display.
As this is all very important information for all computer users, my question is:
What software do you swear by to protect your PC?
Reviews, whether good or bad, may help us all make more informed decisions. Please share what works (or doesn't work) for you, and remember we have very knowledgeable and friendly members here who can help us with our Tech Geek questions!
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