For so many people, their laptop is their lifeblood. It’s used for work, recreation, and relaxation. We use our laptops for almost every part of our lives, and as such, when it stops working as it should, it can be a huge blow.
Has your laptop been acting in an unusual manner lately? If so, it could be a sign that it’s been hit by a malware infection. When you are the victim of a computer virus, you need to act as fast as possible.
But how can you be sure that this is the case? There are some telltale signs to look out for, and this article will discuss five of the most common. Read on to learn five giveaway signs your computer has a virus.
Lots of Pop Up Windows
You’re probably familiar with those annoying little windows that pop up when you venture onto certain sites. Not only are these irritating, but if you’re getting them all the time when you wouldn’t expect to see them, they could be a sign of a virus. A virus sometimes loads websites as part of an ad fraud scam or to trick you into downloading more malware.
Frequent System Crashes
All systems crash from time to time. This happening isn’t in and of itself anything to worry about. However, if it is happening on a consistent and constant basis, you might want to get your computer checked out for viruses.
Notifications from your Antivirus Provider
Hopefully, you have some sort of antivirus software protecting your computer. If you do, and you download a virus by accident, you’ll likely receive notifications right away. This is one of the biggest red flags that you’re dealing with a legitimate virus.
Messages or Emails you didn’t Send
Are you noticing there are emails or social media messages being sent from your accounts that you did not yourself send? If so, it’s possible you’ve been infected with some sort of malware. You should have this checked out immediately, as this can end up infecting others in your contacts if they click on the links contained in these messages.
A Slow Computer System
Did it seem like from one day to the next your computer system suddenly started running very slowly? A slow or lagging system is a classic sign you’ve got a virus. It could also be indicative of other things, however.
Other Possible Causes
Before you worry too much about your entire digital life becoming infected by computer malware, remember that there could be other reasons your computer isn’t working as it should be. It’s possible that your hard drive is full or you have too many unnecessary files.
There are several things that can make your computer lag and appear broken. If you’re experiencing issues, but they’re not malware-related, you can try and fix your slow computer in other ways.
Avoid Malware Infection on your Computer
Malware infection is something you need to take seriously. You should educate yourself on how best to avoid infecting yourself and invest in good antivirus software.