Nothing is worse than having software on your computer that you did not install. On top of that, this unwanted software causes you nothing but agony while you use your PC! This type of software is called “malware”, which include spyware and virus programs.

Do you have spyware or a virus on your computer? First we need to figure out if you are experiencing malware symptoms on your machine. Here are some questions to ask:

1. When you browse the internet, do you get large amounts of pop-ups? Or are you re-directed to a different website than you intended?
   1. If you try to go to a common website, like facebook.com, but you are directed to another website other than where you wanted to go, chances are you have malware.
   2. If every time you visit any website and you are met with a crazy amount of pop-ups, you have malware!
2. Is your anti-virus program alerting you that it has detected malware?
   1. Hopefully you do have some form of anti-virus protection on your computer. If you do, many times it will block the malicious software from installing.
3. Have you installed a program directly from a pop-up?
1. If you did, that was definitely malware! Especially if it claims that it found a virus on your computer. BE WARNED: DO NOT INSTALL ANY PROGRAM CLAIMING TO BE AN ANTI-VIRUS WHILE YOU BROWSE THE INTERNET!
2. To further clarify, if you come across a pop-up claiming to be scanning your computer for potential viruses, IT IS A VIRUS!

I can go on and on, but I’m sure you get the idea. Be safe while you browse and download files from the internet.

1. Do not install programs you didn’t initiate yourself.
2. Having an anti-virus program is a MUST. If you do not have one installed, you can get one for free.
3. Do not click links you are suspicious of. Chances are your suspicions are correct!

Even with these precautions, you can still be infected.

1. If you think you have a virus, even though you have anti-virus software installed, try running a scan to see if it gets detected. Best case scenario is the anti-virus program finds the virus and erases it.
2. If you think you have spyware, install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and do a scan. You can also use Ad-Aware. Both are great and are free.

I can check your computer out for free if you are still unsure of the status of your computer. Shoot me an email if you have any questions.

Hope this helps!