Malware, or 'malicious software' is software which has been specifically designed to cause damage or otherwise affect your computer in a negative way.
Malware comes in many forms, and its effects can range from detrimental internet usage, annoying pop-ups to far more sinister activities.
The vast majority of computer slow-downs, erratic behaviour and general instability can be attributed to the inadvertent loading of malware software.
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Viruses |
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A virus is a self replicating program. Most viruses carry a ‘payload’; this is the code which is activated once an infection is successful. Often, but not always, the virus payload is designed to harm computer systems, or gather data for illegal use.
Although many viruses are capable of 'forcing' themselves into a system via known holes / exploits, the vast majority of virus infections arise directly from the carelessness or ignorance of the computer user.
Most viruses you will come across will arrive in your email inbox as an attachment, to become infected, generally, you must open the attachment and run the program within - often ignoring warning boxes as they pop-up.
Once infected, the virus will activate its payload and, depending on the virus, it is possible that your computer and all the data stored within can become accessible to people on the internet. On top of this your computer may start behaving oddly, perhaps rebooting or crashing often. Your internet connection will almost certainly become 'clogged' and slow and/or irritating to use.
Informal IT can help you clean your system, speed it up again and make it more reliable. We can then show you how to perform regular checks and avoid ever getting infected again.
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