Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Detect malware based on computer behavior
• Method 2 of 2: Detection of malware using utilities and other software
• Tips
• Warnings

Malware, short for "malicious software", has the ability to infect your computer to the point where it collects your personal information, accesses programs or systems on your network, and prevents your computer from working efficiently. There are several signs that your computer is infected with malware, and certain steps you can take to find and remove all malware from your computer. This wikiHow teaches you how to detect malware on your computer.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Detect malware based on computer behavior

1. Make sure your operating system is updated. Updating your operating system can be tedious. However, system updates often include vital security patches. If you suspect that you have malware on your computer, make sure your operating system is up to date.
   • You can update Windows via "Update & Security" in Windows Settings.
   • On a Mac, you update the operating system by pressing System Preferences in the Apple menu, and then clicking Software Update. In older versions of macOS, you can update the system in the App Store.
2. Check if you are seeing a lot of popups. If your computer is infected with malware, you may notice a lot of pop-ups and advertisements. Do not download software that is advertised through a popup, even if it is advertising for anti-virus or anti-malware software. Only download software from trusted websites.
3. Look for unknown toolbar items and icons. If you see new toolbar items, browser extensions, or icons that you don't recognize as something you have installed, your computer may be infected with malware.
4. Watch for redirects to unexpected web pages. If your web browser changes your home page or redirects you to unexpected pages while browsing the Internet, your computer may be infected with malware.
5. Check if your computer is running slower than usual. Most malware will perform tasks in the background that consume a higher percentage of your computer's resources. If your computer is running slowly even without other programs running, your computer may be infected with malware.
6. Make sure your antivirus software and firewalls are turned off. Some malware has the ability to temporarily disable the antivirus software and firewalls on your computer without your permission. Make sure your anti-virus and firewall software are running.
7. Notice if your computer crashes more often. Some malware will damage or delete certain files that are necessary for your computer to run efficiently. If your operating system or certain applications freeze, run slowly, or randomly and unexpectedly crash, you may have malware on your computer.
8. Make sure your computer hardware responds to commands. In some cases, malware infections prevent you from using your mouse, printer and keyboard and may even disable certain functions. If you cannot use the normal functions on your computer, your computer may be infected with malware.
9. Look for any unusual error messages you've received. Sometimes malware will damage your computer and cause strange or unusual error messages to appear when you try to use or open certain programs. Frequent error messages can indicate that your computer is infected with malware.
10. Check if your personal email and social media accounts have been hacked. If you see strange email messages in your inbox that you did not create, or messages and chats in your social media accounts that you did not personally send, your system may be infected with malware.

Method 2 of 2: Detection of malware using utilities and other software

1. Do not enter passwords or personal information on your computer. A lot of malware has the ability to detect what you type on your computer.If you suspect that your computer is infected with malware, stop using your computer for banking or shopping and do not enter any more passwords or personal information on your computer.
2. Start Windows in Safe Mode. Use the following steps to boot Windows 8 and 10 in Safe Mode.
   • Click on the Windows Start icon in the lower left corner.
   • Click the Power button.
   • Keep Shift and click Restart.
   • click on Resolving problems.
   • click on Advanced options.
   • click on Restart.
   • Press 4 when Windows restarts.
3. Click on Windows Start click on Slider clearance. Slide clearance is started.
   • When prompted to select a disk drive, select the drive where Windows is installed. This is usually the "C:" drive.
4. Click the check box click on Clean up system files. It's at the bottom of Disk Cleanup. This will delete temporary files on your computer.
   • You may need to select a drive on your computer. Start with the disk where Windows is installed and repeat for any additional drives.
5. click on OK. When your computer has finished deleting the temporary internet files, click OK to close Disk Cleanup.
6. Go to a website that offers a third-party malware scanning program. A malware scanner scans your computer and detects existing malware, including malware that may not have been detected by your current antivirus program.
   • Computer security industry experts recommend downloading malware scanning software such as Malwarebytes, BitDefender Free Edition, SuperAntiSpyware and Avast
   • You can also use Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. To do this, select the Windows Start menu and type "Windows security" and click on the Start menu. Make sure malware scanning is enabled and click Quick scan.
7. Download the malware scanning program. Click the download button on the website to download the malware scanning software. Click the executable file in Downloads to install the software. In most cases, an installation wizard will help download and install the program. Follow the instructions in the installation wizard to complete the installation.
   • If you cannot access the Internet on the infected computer, download the scan tool to a USB stick and then copy it onto the infected computer.
8. Start the anti-malware application. After it has been downloaded to your computer, you can run the application from the Windows Start menu.
9. Update the malware scanner. Before running a malware scan on your computer, select the option to check for updates in your malware scanner and make sure the program is up to date.
10. Select the option to run a quick scan of your computer using the malware scanner. In most cases, a quick scan takes up to 20 minutes to find and detect malware. A full scan can take several hours, but your computer will be scanned more thoroughly.
11. Remove the malware from your computer as requested. The software may display a dialog containing all malware infections along with the option to remove all malware.
    • If no malware is detected on your machine, try running a full scan instead of a quick scan. A full scan can take up to 60 minutes or more.
12. Restart your computer. Boot your computer normally after removing the malware from your machine.
13. Verify that your antivirus software is turned on. Always have reliable antivirus software installed and running. Make sure to regularly run virus and malware scans on your computer.
    • If your computer is still slow, freezes, or has other issues that you suspect are caused by malware, try a different anti-malware program. If you are still having problems, you may need to backup your important files and reinstall Windows, or contact an IT professional.

Tips

• Mac computers are less prone to malware than Windows computers, but they can still take advantage of antivirus applications. For Mac computers, experts in the computer security industry recommend using antivirus programs such as Norton Antivirus, Avira Free Mac Security, Comodo Antivirus and Avast Free Antivirus.

Warnings

• Before downloading antivirus or malware scanning software, make sure the website you are downloading from is in good standing and legitimate. Some websites may offer malware disguised as antivirus software that will affect and infect your machine.