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wikiHow to Detect Malware

Two Methods:Detecting Malware Based on Computer BehaviorDetecting Malware using Tools and Third-Party SoftwareCommunity Q&A

Malware, which is short for “malicious software,” has the ability to infect your computer to the point where it collects your personal data, gains access to programs or systems on your network, and prevents your computer from running efficiently. There are several signs that can indicate whether your computer has been infected by malware, and certain steps you can take to detect and remove all malware from your computer.

Detecting Malware Based on Computer Behavior

  1. 1
    Look for pop-ups that persuade you to download antivirus software. If your computer has been infected by malware, you may receive pop-ups informing you that your system has been infected and you must download certain software to remove the virus.
  2. 2
    Determine whether your computer is running slower than usual. Most malware will run tasks in the background that consume a higher percentage of your computer’s resources. If you are not running any applications, and have plenty of memory freed up on your device, then you may be infected by malware.
  3. 3
    Verify whether your antivirus software and firewalls have been disabled. Some malware has the ability to temporarily disable the antivirus software and firewalls on your computer without your consent.
  4. 4
    Note whether your computer has been crashing lately. Some malware will corrupt or delete certain files that are required for your computer to run efficiently. If your operating system or certain applications freeze, run slowly, or crash randomly and unexpectedly, you may have malware on your machine.
  5. 5
    Check whether your computer hardware is responding to commands. In some cases, malware infections will prevent you from being able to use your mouse, printer, and keyboard, and could even disable certain features.
  6. 6
    Keep track of any unusual error messages you may have received. Sometimes malware will corrupt your computer and cause it to display strange or unusual error messages when you try to use or access certain programs.[1]
  7. 7
    Check to see if your personal email and social media accounts have been hacked. If you notice strange email messages in your outbox that you did not compose, or posts and direct messages in your social media accounts that you did not personally send, then your system may have been infected with malware.[2]

Detecting Malware using Tools and Third-Party Software

  1. 1
    Turn off your Windows computer.
  2. 2
    Restart your computer and press the F8 key repeatedly as your computer boots. This action will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu.
  3. 3
    Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to highlight “Safe Mode with Networking.
  4. 4
    Press “Enter. Your computer will boot up into Safe Mode and load only the minimum required programs and services needed without running any malware in the background.
  5. 5
    Click on the “Start” menu and select “All Programs.
  6. 6
    Point to “Accessories,” select ”System Tools,” and click on “Disk Cleanup. The Disk Cleanup dialog box will display on-screen.
  7. 7
    Place a checkmark next to “Temporary Internet Files.
  8. 8
    Click on “Clean up system files” and select “Yes” if prompted to confirm that you want to erase all temporary Internet files.
  9. 9
    Click on “OK” when your computer has finished deleting the temporary Internet files.
  10. 10
    Navigate to a website that offers a third-party malware scanning program. A malware scanner will scan your computer and detect existing malware, including any malware that may slipped through undetected by your current antivirus program.
    • Experts in the computer security industry recommend downloading malware scanning software such as Malwarebytes, BitDefender Free Edition, SuperAntiSpyware, and Norman Malware Cleaner.[3]
  11. 11
    Download the malware scanning program to your computer using the website prompts. In most cases, you will be guided through a setup wizard for downloading and installing the program.
  12. 12
    Launch the malware scanning application after it has been downloaded to your computer.
  13. 13
    Select the option to run a quick scan on your computer using the malware scanner. In most cases, a quick scan will take up to 20 minutes to search for and detect malware.
  14. 14
    Remove the malware from your computer as prompted after it has been detected by the malware scanning software. The software may display a dialog box that contains all the malware infections, along with the option to delete or remove all malware.
    • If no malware was detected on your machine, try running a full scan instead of a quick scan. A full scan may take up to 60 minutes or more.
  15. 15
    Restart your computer and allow it to boot normally after you have removed the malware from your machine.
  16. 16
    Verify that your antivirus software is enabled and set up to run in the background at all times.

Community Q&A

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    • If your computer is still experiencing slowness, freezing, or other problems that you suspect may be the source of malware, you may need to perform a factory reset or reinstall Windows completely to rid your computer of the malware.
    • Mac computers are less susceptible to malware than Windows computers, but may still benefit from antivirus applications. For Mac computers, experts in the computer security industry recommend using antivirus programs such as iAntivirus from Norton, Avira Free Mac Security, Comodo Antivirus for Mac, and Avast Free Antivirus for Mac.[4]


    • Before downloading any antivirus or malware scanning software, verify that the website you’re downloading software from is reputable and legitimate. Some websites may offer malware disguised as antivirus software that will impair and infect your machine.

    Article Info

    Categories: Spyware and Virus Protection

    In other languages:

    Português: Detectar Malware, Italiano: Individuare i Malware, Русский: обнаружить вредоносные программы, Deutsch: Malware entdecken, Español: detectar malware, Français: détecter les maliciels, Bahasa Indonesia: Mendeteksi Perangkat Lunak Berbahaya

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