4 Signs You Might Be Dealing with a Hack

A digital virus infection can hit when you least expect it, and sometimes it’s too late to prevent it from getting into your system. Just like dealing with a biological virus, it’s important to minimize the damage that’s done before it has a chance to spread to other parts of your network. Thankfully, there are symptoms you can look for when you need to know whether or not your PC is infected. Here are four signs your computer is most-likely hacked.

A Deceptive Antivirus Message
One of the most nefarious ways hackers can hide a virus is to shield it behind a popup message from a fake antivirus software. This message is designed to alert you that a new virus has been located in your system, and that measures should be taken to get rid of it. However, unsuspecting users might find that the new virus is none other than the alert message itself, and following its instructions will only make the problem worse instead of fixing it.

One of the most important things you can do when faced with such a predicament is to familiarize yourself with your official antivirus software so you can understand if something is wrong with your PC. If you spot any unexpected issues, you should immediately call Computerware for assistance before the problem grows worse.

Unexpected URL Redirects
Businesses will occasionally put up redirects for their websites if they have recently published a new website, but if your browser starts redirecting you to some of the lesser corners of the Internet, you’ll know something is wrong. One way you can tell if this is occurring is if you experience crazy redirects which don’t make sense. For example, if you go to Google.com and your browser takes you someplace else entirely, you probably have a virus.

This is obviously a problem, as it can impede your workplace productivity and potentially upheave your entire data security protocol. Computerware can help you get back on track.

Continuous, Random Popups
Some popup ads are normal, and you can generally tell which ones they are. However, there are times when popups will load more popups, and those popups will continue to spawn new ads until you can hardly navigate between your windows. Such activity is not normal, and when this occurs, it’s generally safe to assume that your PC has been infected with a virus.

New, Undesired Software Installed on Your PC
Another surefire way to tell that your PC has been hacked is if there are new, unknown programs on your system. If you’re going through your applications and notice a few that you don’t recognize or remember installing, it’s possible that malware downloaded them without your authorization. It’s safe to assume that these applications aren’t designed to improve your technology.

One of the most common characteristics of a malicious application is that it activates Autoruns upon PC startup. While you’re scouring your PC for unrecognized applications, you might encounter a couple which are genuinely good apps that you’ve never even seen before. You only want to get rid of the bad ones, but it’s not always clear whether or not apps are of the malicious variety. Computerware can help you discern the good from the bad.

Computerware has the technology skills necessary to help your business clean out infections before viruses spread to all parts of your network. With remote monitoring services, we can spot sketchy activity on your systems before it spreads out of control. To take a proactive measure to protect your business from downtime-causing threats, give Computerware a call at (703) 821-8200.