How Do Computer Viruses Work? Free Antivirus Software

 Are you worried about a virus on your computer? If your computer is infected, then it is important to know how to get rid of the computer virus.

In this article, you will learn everything there is to know about how computer viruses work and how to remove computer viruses.

A short outline of the article:

How to get rid of a computer virus.

What is a computer virus?

How to identify a computer virus on your computer.

Can your computer get infected with a virus via email?

How to protect your computer from viruses.

How to get rid of a computer virus

In this section, we will discuss how to remove a computer virus from Windows computers and Mac computers.

Removing a computer virus from a Windows computer

Computer viruses are almost never seen. Without antivirus protection, you may not even be aware of the existence of a virus on your computer. This is why it is important to install antivirus protection on all of your devices.

If you have a virus on your Windows computer, you need to follow these ten easy steps to get rid of it:

Step 1: Download and install antivirus scanner

Download an antivirus scanner or Internet Security class solution. We recommend using Internet Security. The installation process is shown in the following video:

Step 2: Disconnect from the Internet

When removing a virus from a computer, it is advisable to disconnect from the Internet in order to prevent further spread of the threat: some computer viruses spread over the Internet.

Step 3: Restart your PC in Safe Mode

To protect your computer while removing the virus, restart your computer in Safe Mode. If you do not know how to do this, then instructions are given below.

Turn off your computer and turn it on again

When the image appears on the screen, press F8 to bring up the "Advanced Boot Options" menu

Select "Safe Mode with Networking"

Stay disconnected from the internet

Step 4: Remove all temporary files

Next, you need to delete all temporary files using the Disk Cleanup utility.

Follow the next steps:

Click on the Windows logo in the lower right corner

Enter “Temporary Files”

Select "Free up disk space by deleting unnecessary files" (delete unnecessary files to free up disk space)

In the Disk Cleanup list "Files to delete" find and select "Temporary Internet Files" and click "OK"

Confirm "Delete Files" selection

Some viruses take effect when you restart your computer. Removing temporary files can remove the virus. However, relying on this alone is not reliable. To make sure your computer is free of viruses, we recommend following the steps below.

Step 5: Run a virus scan

Now it's time to open your antivirus or Internet Security class solution and run a virus scan. If you are using Internet Security, select and click on the 'Start scan' button.

Step 6: Remove the virus or quarantine it

If a virus is found, multiple files may be affected. Select “Delete” or “Quarantine” to get rid of the virus. Run the scan of your computer again to make sure there are no other threats left. If other threats are found, quarantine or delete them.

Step 7: Reboot your computer

Now, after removing the virus, you can restart your computer. Just turn it on as usual. Safe Mode is no longer needed.

Step 8: Change All Passwords

To protect your computer from further attacks, change all passwords in case they are compromised. This is only necessary if you have a reason to believe that your passwords were stolen by malware, but it doesn't hurt to play it safe anyway.

You can always check the functionality of the virus on the website of your antivirus manufacturer or by contacting their technical support group.

Step 9: Update your software, browser, and operating system

Updating your software, browser and the operating system will reduce the risk of cybercriminals exploiting holes in old code to install malware on your computer.

Removing a computer virus from your Mac

If you have a Mac computer, you may feel that your computer cannot get a virus. Unfortunately, this is a misconception. For Mac, compared to Windows, fewer viruses are created, but they do exist.

Some Mac viruses disguise themselves as antivirus products. If you accidentally download one of these viruses, then your computer may be infected. Three examples of this type of virus are: 'MacDefender', 'MacProtector' and 'MacSecurity'.

If you think your Mac has a virus, you need to follow these six steps to remove it:

Exit the application or software product that you think is infected.

Open System Monitor and scan for known Mac viruses such as MacDefender, MacProtector, and MacSecurity.

If any of these viruses are found, click Stop-Process, then close System Monitor.

Then open the Applications folder and drag the file to the Trash.

Don't forget to empty the Trash later to remove the virus permanently.

Make sure your software and applications are updated to the latest versions - this way you will install the latest security updates.

To make sure you haven't missed anything and make sure your Mac is protected, consider installing and running an antivirus solution if you don't already have one. We recommend using a comprehensive Internet Security solution such as Free antivirus Software Total Security.