Whether you have a laptop for work or play, you want to ensure that it is safe. There are now thousands of viruses online that can infect your laptop. If your laptop gets a virus or malware infects it, you will find that strange things start happening to it. In the long run, viruses can completely destroy your laptop. That means that you will need to buy a new laptop to replace your old one. Here are some killer signs that will tell you whether your laptop is in danger.
Sign 1: Your laptop is running slow
Over time, all laptops become slow and take a while to perform simple tasks. Large files and downloads will slow your computer down if you don’t delete them. That means that if you have had your laptop for a few years, it will start to get a little slow. If your laptop is relatively new, though, it should not be slow. If your laptop slows down for no reason, a virus may be the cause.
Sign 2: Your browser opens for no reason
If your browser opens up without you clicking on it, you know that something is wrong. It could be that an external user is controlling your laptop remotely. If that is the case, it means that the user has access to your personal files and documents. If you keep legal or bank information on your laptop, you could find that you are a victim of identity theft.
Sign 3: You have files you didn’t download
If files start appearing on your laptop without you downloading them, this is an issue. Often when you download one file, other files come with it. The main issue with that is that these new files are likely to be malware. Companies use malware or spyware to spy on your laptop. They look at what you’re doing online and what you’re downloading, and use the information to their benefit. You will need to download some spyware removal software so that you can deal with the issue. The sooner you do it, the better.
Sign 4: Your laptop shuts down for no reason
There is nothing worse than working on a project and your laptop shutting itself down. If that happens to you, you need to check your laptop for viruses. Sometimes, your laptop will shut down to do some vital updates. It will likely give you warning about these updates before it shuts down though. If you haven’t had a warning before your laptop shuts down, there is an issue there.
Sign 5: Your browser refreshes itself all the time
When you are working in a browser, and it constantly refreshes itself, you have a problem. This issue is yet another sign of spyware. An external company may be taking screenshots of your computer so that they can gather data about you. That means that they are invading your privacy without your consent. You should make sure that you remove spyware as soon as possible.
Sign 6: You get random pop-ups on your laptop
One of the most-common signs of a virus on your laptop is pop-ups. If you get loads of adverts and pop-ups when you are using your computer, you might have a virus. Sometimes, you will have so many pop-ups that you are unable to use your laptop at all. That means that your laptop becomes useless. You might need to see a specialist technician about the problem so that he or she can fix it. Once you have done that, it is worth investing in protection for your laptop so that it doesn’t get any more viruses.
