Malware, short for malicious software, is a term used to describe computer programs that are designed to purposefully cause harm to a computer, server or network.

What should I know?

Malware is designed in such a way that it is installed on a computer without the owner's knowledge, which can make detection and removal quite difficult without the aid of an effective antivirus solution like Identity Guard Device Secure.

Years ago, a good deal of malware was designed for experiments and to be a general nuisance, but malevolent programmers have become much more sophisticated in recent years. These days, malware is typically designed for direct financial gain through a variety of nefarious methods. This article will detail the symptoms of malware, some of the more prevalent types of malware and what they're designed to do.

Common Symptoms of Malware

• General computer slowness
• Programs freezing or crashing
• Inability to connect to certain networks
• Files being deleted or modified
• Strange files, programs, or desktop icons showing up unprompted
• Programs running, turning off, or reconfiguring themselves
• Emails sent without a user’s knowledge

Remediating a Malware Infection

If you see any symptoms of an infection, you should immediately run a Full Scan from the Identity Guard Device Secure app. Any files that appear to be part of a malware infection will be identified and quarantined, also giving you the option to delete them altogether. For more information, please review our articles regarding Running a Scan and Remediating an Infection.