As an IT consultant, it is all to common these days for me to sit down at a client computer these days to see all sorts of popups on their computer. I’ve seen fake warnings that the computer is riddle with viruses. ![\"Spyware](\"https:\/\/www.highroaddata.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/spyware_detected-300x220.jpg\")
I’ve seen hijacked home pages in browsers. I’ve seen normal looking web pages that have all kinds of terms underlined that give you nasty popups when you hover over them. Spyware comes in all shapes and sizes. But don’t worry, we can get you back to the way things should be in about 15 to 30 minutes. If you’d like to do these steps yourself, here’s a great tutorial to follow.<\/p>\n
Remove Spyware<\/strong> After you’ve finished up with Malwarebytes, the next step is to remove any unwanted plugins to your browsers. The process is slightly different for each one (IE, Firefox, Chrome, etc.) but the concepts are the same. In Firefox, you can click CONTROL-SHIFT-A and a new tab will open up showing all of your plugins. Be sure to remove any plugins and extensions you don’t recognize or approve. Do this for each browser you have installed on your computer.<\/p>\n Finally, head on over to the Control Panel and remove any software you don’t recognize. In the Control Panel, run the Programs and Features applet. Go down the list and look for unusual programs installed. Some have the name ‘coupon’ in them. Some are very short names. Others have no company listed. Those are all dead giveaways that this is malicious software.<\/p>\n Update Software<\/strong> Run your Windows Updates if you have not done so recently. It is important to get all critical updates installed no matter what version of Windows you are running. In most cases, that includes at least one patch for Internet Explorer to shore up a found vulnerability.<\/p>\n Next, update Adobe Flash. This is an application that becomes a plugin to your browser(s) which allows you to play many games and view movies. If it is not kept up to date, it could become a security hole in an otherwise protected computer.<\/p>\n Protect your Computer<\/strong> Also, confirm that your Windows Firewall is turned on. If you are having problems with a specific program not working with your firewall turned on, that can easily be resolved. It is important to make sure that the firewall is on so that if another computer on your network gets infected, it does not spread to your computer.<\/p>\n Finally, make sure you are getting regular backups of the data that matters to you. There’s plenty of great cloud backup options nowadays or you can purchase an external USB hard drive. Maybe brands now come with backup software built right in. Plus, you can get a good sized drive for a reasonable price. At the time of this writing, you could get a 3TB external USB 3.0 drive (fast transfer speed) for $109.00. Not a bad price to pay for the piece of mind that your data is protected.<\/p>\n
\nThe first thing you’ll want to do is download Malwarebytes. This is free software so if you are asked to pay for it, you’ve gone to the wrong link. Once downloaded and installed, run a quick scan. You’ll be amazed at what it finds. The scan takes about 10 to 30 minutes depending on the speed of your computer. When done, click the button at that bottom to fix all issues. You may need to reboot to finish the process. The program will let you know.<\/p>\n
\nAfter you’ve removed the spyware, malware and viruses, you’ll need to make sure that the software running on your computer is up to date. Certain programs are susceptible to attack if they are not kept up to date.<\/p>\n
\nMake sure you have an anti-virus software installed and that the subscription is current. Microsoft offers a free product called Security Essentials. Even a free version is better than nothing.<\/p>\n