Your Computer's Infected... What Do You Do Next?

It’s one of the most commonly-known computer issues: infection. There are plenty of threats out there that could potentially take hold of your PC. The question is, do you know how to proceed if one does? This blog will go into just that.

But first, some terms may need to be clarified: virus and malware. In reality, a virus is just one of the many forms of malware, which also covers spyware, Trojans, adware, and many other varieties of computer threats. However, the term “antivirus” is so well-known due to some awareness-based marketing, software systems that protect against other forms of malware are still given this title.

Now that the terminology of virus/malware has been covered, it is important to know how to remove these threats from your system.

First, at bare minimum, you should call in an MSP, like Washington Works, to oversee the process. Observation by a professional will help you to avoid making a mistake that only makes the situation worse. Better yet, you should entrust Washington Works to handle the monitoring and maintenance of your systems, so they will take care of issues such as these. In fact, these issues can often be avoided in the first place.

Washington Works will remotely access your PC and take the steps necessary to remove the malware. Removing temporary files will help the scan progress faster, and might even remove some hidden malware in the process. Once your systems have been scanned and the infected files have been cleaned out, your web browser and your operating system may need to be repaired or reinstalled. This is one reason that it is so important to keep a backup, so any local files won’t be lost with the OS reinstall.

Once your system is cleaned out and restored, Washington Works will make sure that programs designed to protect against malware are installed. All of your programs should be kept up-to-date, in order to make sure they are as protected as possible against attack from viruses or other malwares. We can even provide enterprise-level antivirus that we will monitor for updates and maintain to ensure your business has optimal security.

It is also a good idea to change the passwords to any of your online accounts, as the malware may have recorded them. Once the infection has been removed, make sure your staff knows how to identify the risk factors that indicate when they may be infected.

Let us know how we can help protect your business against malware by calling 301-571-5040.