Malware, or malicious software, is any annoying, misleading, dishonest, privacy-invading, computer-harming software. Different malware is contracted in different ways, and removing them is different depending on the program as well. Removing malware can be a messy problem to deal with, but it is certainly worse if it is not taken care of as soon as possible.

First of all, if you don’t have an antivirus program and a firewall running, you need to install and enable them now. If you use Windows firewall, you can enable it from your Security Center in the Control Panel. If you antivirus service is expired, you must renew it or at least install a free service. Next, check to be sure your antivirus service has been updated recently. If you open your antivirus program, it will very clearly tell you if everything is running properly, yellow and red indicators will notify you of anything expired or out of date.

Once you have established that you have a current, up-to-date antivirus program and your firewall is on, run a full computer scan with your antivirus program. You may have to go into the advanced options or check through the available buttons and tabs. Once the full computer scan is complete, follow whatever instructions are recommended with any infections it finds.

Now, so far you have checked for viruses and worms, etc. There is another group of “back door” malware—spyware and adware, etc.—that will not be detected by antivirus services (unless your service has additional antispyware or other malware tools). If you are still having problems or believe your problem is specify “back door” malware-related, you should probably download a spyware scanner. Be very careful what you download! Some of these advertised scanners and spyware removers are actually spyware themselves and would only worsen the situation!

When looking for a good spyware remover, look for tools that are recommended on several websites. Find reviews on the products and ratings by reputable computer services websites, like CNet and Downloads.com. If it is recommended on several reputable sources, it is probably safe to download. You probably only need one spyware scanner, because too many programs that will simply bog down your computer and conflict with one another. You may want to try several different programs, though, to find one that is easy to use and works the best for you. Once you have downloaded and completed the spyware scan and removed any infections, you should download a good firewall and antispyware program (or both if they don’t conflict and you want extra protection).

If you still have suspicious problems with your computer or if you have problems with these steps, you may need to take your computer to a technician. The sooner these problems are handled, the less likely this is necessary. If you do take your computer to a technician, if possible, be sure to back up your personal files to CD’s, flash drives, or an external hard drive, in case the technician has to reformat your hard drive, etc.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

The computer and Internet world is new to many people. It’s a wonderful and exciting thing—but it can also be scary. With horror stories of identity theft and computers crashing due to spyware and viruses, it’s no wonder it’s a scary place for many. Here’s some helpful information to understand the basics of malware and determine the differences between the types of malware.

Malware, the shortened name of malicious software is any software that has an ulterior, unscrupulous, or dishonest motive. The effects of malware can be as harmless as simply being annoying and slightly slowing down your computer’s performance, or as dangerous as attacking your computer and your important files or collecting private information from you, like credit card numbers and passwords.

There are two basic categories of malware, the “front door” and the “back door” intruders. Malware that tries to infect your computer through email and networks is known as front door intruders and can be detected and caught fairly easily by an antivirus program. The “back door” intruders are hidden and disguised software that is often bundled with another program or appears to be something helpful. Usually these are downloaded by users from the Internet. Back door malware cannot be detected by antivirus programs. The following is a brief description of the different types of malware in each category:

*The Back Door Intruders*
Spyware: This is software that collects information about a user, often to obtain search or surfing habits or private information, like passwords and credit card information. There are different types of spyware, like keyloggers that detect what keys are pressed, and “security programs” that promise to scan your computer for infections, but instead install programs to use your computer memory and give hackers access to your computer.

Adware: This type of malware is typically packages with other software, especially if it is free. It can vary from simply bombarding you with advertising every time you use the software, or collecting information about the searches and surfing you perform in order to tailor advertising to your interests.
A good indication that you may have spyware or adware on your computer is if your browser redirects to other pages by itself or search sites you don’t recognize, your homepage changes by itself, or advertisements pop up constantly, especially if they address you by name or appear even when you are offline.

There are several tools that can be downloaded to remove existing back door malware, but be careful what you download, as a misleading program might simply worsen your situation! A good firewall or antispyware program will help prevent new back door malware from having access to your computer.

*The Front Door Intruders*
Computer Viruses and Worms: These programs enter the computer through a computer network or through files like email attachments. They can replicate themselves to infect core computer files. Viruses and worms use up computer resources and are poorly built, so an infected computer will run slowly or crash often.  Some types are very dangerous and can destroy important system or personal files. Because of their replicating nature, these infections become more harmful the longer they are on the user’s computer.

Trojan Horse: This is a file that appears harmless or helpful, but once installed, it can open a “back door” through which a hacker can access the computer, use system resources for spamming and other malicious purposes, all without the knowledge of the computer’s user. Unlike a virus, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves, but they are usually installed and running without the user’s knowledge or intent.

You may have a virus if you computer suddenly begins lagging significantly more than usual or shuts down and gives error messages repeatedly. You should have an antivirus program installed and running on your computer. You must also keep it updated constantly so it will be aware of new virus threats. A computer scan by your antivirus may resolve basic virus problems, but an advanced virus infection may require in-depth resolution by a computer technician. In many cases, this step results in the loss of personal files, so keep your documents, pictures, and installation files backed up regularly to another computer, CDs, flash drives, or an external hard drive.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!