Malware – What is it? and How I fix or remove it?

So you’re browsing the web, reading up on your favorite news site, catching up with friends on your favorite social media platform, and popups start coming out from nowhere. You didn’t open them, so how did it open by itself? If this has happened to you, you most likely have a PC infected with Malware. But don’t fret, it’s generally fixable with the right tools.

Malware (as defined by Wikipedia) is short for malicious software. Which is any software used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. And quite frankly, it’s becoming more and more of a threat to our everyday internet experience.

What can you do to lessen your risk?

Being careful on what websites you visit, what links you click on, etc will play a major role in preventing yourself from getting malware. If you’re not familiar with the link/website, or not expecting it, stay away from it. This time of year they like to send out emails that resemble shipping notifications that you’ll have to click on to check the status, but be VERY careful that you’re really expecting something shipped, AND you’re sure the email is from the right person/company. They do a pretty good job of tricking you into thinking it’s real.

Consistently, the top tool to clean up your infected PC would be Malwarebytes. But be sure you ONLY get it directly from their website: www.malwarebytes.org. Best of all, they have a fully functional free version. Get the free version and scan your PC. Then quarantine any infected items found. Rescan until the scan comes up clean. Remember to scan your PC regularly (at least once a month). If you want to upgrade to the paid version, you can set it to auto scan your PC every so often, plus it will continually monitor your PC for malware. You can get the full version here: Malwarebytes PRO Lifetime
Note: there is a cheaper “Premium” option. But that is a 1 year license. Spend the couple extra dollars and get the lifetime license instead.

Also, its always good to make sure your virus software is top notch. Visit our guide on what virus software we recommend!