The biggest concern for anyone who owns a digital device is the security of information stored within it. The virus is one such malware that is a threat to the device security. Interestingly, the full form of the word expands as Vital Information Resources Under Seize. Once a virus enters your computer, it multiplies and disrupts the working of your system.
Virus programs enter a device through a number of different ways. One must be extra cautious. If you have a good antivirus software, it will send you a notification if it detects an infection and will eliminate it. This is one of the many ways to keep your system virus free. In the event of an inefficient or non-existent firewall, however, you will not get a notification if the system is infected. So here are a few ways to detect if your computer is under a virus attack.
Your computer slows down
A virus attack is one among the many things that slow down your system. Upon execution, the virus plants itself in your system and consumes all the processing power; thereby slowing it down A clean system that does not have any heavy software running will not slow down unless there is a malware affecting it. Even with the use of heavy software, as long as you have a good processor in place, your system’s performance will not be affected. This is one of the many hacks that will make your system more efficient. So if your system is still slow despite these measures, you might want to get it checked for a virus. . Sometimes, your system also gets stuck upon performing actions as basic as trying to minimise or close a file or application. It might, for example, take a very long time for the action to get completed or for the screen to change. These hiccups are also very important signs to look out for if you want to keep your system virus-free.
Your Computer crashes
There are some files and programs that ensure the smooth running of your system. Upon infection, the virus affects these set of programs, impacting the overall performance of your system. Whenever you launch an application, for instance, the computer’s screen might freeze and eventually, close. In certain scenarios, the computer can even get switched off automatically. This denotes that something is preventing your system from functioning normally.. The safe bet would be to install an anti-virus software in your system that can detect and eliminate the virus or take it to a laptop service centre. There are many things to look for before choosing a laptop service centre, so ensure that you choose the best one to fix your system.
Change in file size
Every file in your system has a specific size corresponding to the data in it. This size usually changes when the content in it is altered. But if a file’s size changes even when you have not made any changes to it, you will have to consider checking your system for a virus. This is usually not the most effective way to detect a virus as we don’t tend to look at the file sizes often enough to notice an anomaly. But if you a change in file size does come to your attention,, then it is a sign that malicious software is residing in your system.The next step to take would be to eliminate this harmful programme.
Strange pop-up messages
This is a very common way to detect the presence of a virus. Strange messages might pop up on your computer screen when you access your files and data. Another scenario when you come across such messages is when you open web pages that are not encrypted. The messages coded in these pop-ups are often ‘click-bait’ in fashion. They are usually along the lines of your system losing charge rapidly and that by clicking the ‘OK’ or ‘Submit’ option in the dialogue box, you can fix the issue. Clicking this message may redirect you to a virus-ridden webpage or execute the malware and cause it to multiply.
New and unusual desktop icons
Icons are usually created on the desktop when you install a new software or application or when you create a shortcut for a file. But when you notice a new icon with unusual names or characters, the safest practice would be to not open the file. Clicking on the icon might execute the virus causing it to multiply.
Unable to access Task Manager
Task Manager is usually the go-to solution when your system’s screen freezes. However, the presence of a virus can prevent your task manager from working too. While unresponsive applications themselves are signs that your computer is infected by a virus, being unable to use the Task Manager affirms the presence of a malicious software.
Checking your hard drive activity
If you aren’t running any programs or applications and you can still hear your hard drive working, there is a chance that a harmful programme is running in the background. Viruses of this nature usually perform in stealth mode, which makes it difficult to detect their presence. If the virus causes your hard drive to crash, there are methods to recover data from a crashed internal hard disk.
Spam mail
If you suspect that you have stumbled upon a virus after clicking on a suspicious link, the first thing you should do is ask if your email contacts have received spam mail. This type of virus usually sends itself to all the contacts in one’s address book when clicked. These links are usually circulated by mail or other messaging services accompanied by a click-bait message.
Extended boot-time
Ideally, systems don’t take very long to boot. So if you notice that your computer takes significantly longer than usual to start up, then there is a possibility that a virus is slowing down the process.
While there are several forms of viruses that can hamper the working of your system, the most suitable method to prevent or fix a virus attack is to have a strong anti-virus programme in place. Keeping your system clean and virus-free will avoid loss or theft of data. So make sure the first thing you do in your new system purchased from Dell Exclusive is install an anti-virus software.
