Virus on the computer - what to do? The 10 most important tips
Just save the document quickly and off you go to work. But then the anti-virus program flashes: Malware has been detected. But what do I do if my computer is infected?
Hackers repeatedly produce software that is supposed to harm us and often ends up unnoticed on our computers. The goal of developing malware is very different. Some programs are supposed to spy on users' data, for example by copying passwords. Others delete our files or block the calculator.
Sometimes I notice the infestation of my computer that it is unusually slow. Or from my mail program suddenly go from tons of mail that I have never sent. But it may also be that I suddenly read on my screen the hint that my computer is infected? be it from the malicious program itself or from my virus scanner. If I caught one of these malicious programs, I should act fast.
Tip 1: Change passwords
If the computer has been infected with a malicious program, there is always the danger that our passwords have been spied out. That's why it's important that I quickly change all the passwords I use on the Internet. Of course, this is only possible from another computer that has not been infected with a virus. Important passwords include, for example, the access data for online banking, the e-mail account or social media.
Tip 2: Run a virus program
If I do not have an anti-virus program installed on my computer, that's the next step. It is important that the protection program is up to date. Only then will it also detect malware that is still relatively new. Once the program has gone through and found viruses, the program normally deletes them automatically.
Tip 3: Save data
Since I do not know how malicious software manipulates my computer, data must be saved quickly. So I should transfer all important documents to an external hard drive or the USB stick. But beware: If the virus is still on the computer, it may happen that I also copy this to the disk.
Because of this, the data must be scanned for viruses before being returned to the computer.
If I can not rule out that a file contains a virus, then in case of doubt it is better to delete a document and recreate it. If I am not sure if a program or a file is virus-free, I should in any case have the data checked by an expert.
Tip 4: Start in safe mode
I restart the computer now in safe mode. Sometimes I can prevent the malicious program from starting too. To do this, when you restart Windows, press? F8? pressed. After the secure restart, I let the virus program through again.
Tip 5: Boot from external drive
If the virus still exists, I restart the computer from an external drive. For this I either insert the CD with the operating system or I start the system via another medium. In the BIOS menu, I can now set where the computer should first look for its startup system. I get the BIOS menu during the restart by the click of a button - which is different depending on the operating system.
Once I have reached the BIOS, I select in the settings that the computer should restart from the CD or the USB stick. When the computer starts up, I have to go through the anti-virus program again.
Tip 6: Uninstall suspicious programs
If I've recently installed a program, it's natural that the new software is the cause of the infection. In that case I should try to uninstall this program. Under the Control Panel menu, I can see all the installed programs and easily select and uninstall the latest ones.
Tip 7: Restore system
If the malicious program is still on the computer now, a system recovery may help. The computer then resets all settings such as files, existing software, and the like back to an earlier time. We select from the options offered a point in the past, when the PC was not infected. But be careful: all important files should be saved at the latest before this step. Otherwise all current contents are gone.
Tip 8: Reinstallation
If there is still a malicious program on the computer, only the reinstallation of the operating system remains. At this step, however, all data is finally deleted. Again, it is therefore necessary to save everything beforehand. Another alternative is to hire a specialist to study the problem more closely. With luck, he finds the error too, without all my data being gone.
Tip 9: Find causes
Often I do not necessarily know how the infected program ended up on my computer. But if I can trace the path, I should also warn other people of the danger.If I had already shared data with other people in the meantime, I should also inform them. Original data carriers are usually checked, but if I got the virus on this way, I should inform the Federal Office for Security and Information Technology, so that they can stop the danger quickly.
Tip 10: Do not Panic!
Although a virus is often associated with a lot of stress, it does not bother to panic. That's why it's better to turn off the computer and keep calm. Then I can calmly consider how I approach the problem step by step. or get help. And with a bit of luck, the mistake is quickly resolved.
