Pc/Laptop Virus, Malware, Spyware Removal In Missouri
What Is A Computer Virus?
Computer viruses are software programs that replicate themselves and are typically spread from one computer to another. These malicious programs can cause system errors, delete information, and embed themselves into the host user's emails.
Viruses started out years ago as pranks and experiments among young computer programmers, but today the intentions and damage are sometimes criminal and punishable by law. Because of the prevalence of these programs, virus removal has become a recurring practice -- and expense -- for anyone owning a personal computer these days.
What Is The Difference Between A Virus, Malware, And Spyware?
Malware is a generalized term used to describe a variety of software programs that are designed to disrupt and damage computer operating systems, steal personal and financial information, and secretly track user activity for marketing purposes without authorization. Viruses and spyware are types of malware.
Spyware is a term used to describe programs -- usually unauthorized ones -- that will "spy" on the computer user's activity and personal information such as passwords, account numbers, credit card information, etc.
Not all programs that track and use this information are harmful or unauthorized, however. Tracking cookies are regularly used to improve user experience across the web. For instance, when certain items are viewed on an e-commerce site, a small tracking program may be placed on the visiting computer to help them find items they previously viewed and to personalize advertisements and search results that are viewed on other sites going forward.
This is generally a helpful feature for web shoppers, since these programs have no malicious intent. But most spyware programs are not so innocent. Credit card fraud and unauthorized financial transactions are unfortunately becoming more common for users whose computers have picked up spyware programs.
How Can A Computer Virus Be Removed?
Virus removal is a fairly straightforward process. Sometimes all that is needed is to use an updated virus removal program, and the infected computer can be cleaned up in an hour or less at minimal cost
But sometimes the anti-virus software is unable to identify or detect the virus, and that means that infected program and system files may need to be deleted manually. This is a task that only a trained professional technician should attempt.
How Can Computer Virus Problems Be Avoided?
Anti-virus software is the first line of defense against viruses and other types of malware. Most of these programs will perform in-depth scans of the entire hard drive on a regular basis to check for unauthorized programs; keeping anti-virus programs updated to recognize the latest threats is essential.
Personal and business computers will need to have their firewalls in place and configured properly. Many firewall programs are rendered useless because computer users reduce levels of protection and open up the system to attack.
Avoiding known malware-spreading sites is also an effective way to avoid picking up a virus. Free download sites are notorious for spreading viruses and spyware, as are pornography sites and get-rich-quick sites.
Many people wrongly believe that they can only get a virus by downloading an infected file or by clicking on an infected advertisement link, but the truth is that viruses can be transmitted by simply viewing a webpage.
Emails are another common method for spreading malicious software programs. It is recommended to never open an email from an unknown sender. Just as in the situation mentioned above, many people think that they can only get an email virus by downloading an infected email attachment, but in reality the mere act of viewing an infected email can be enough for the damage to be done.