Even with a decent antivirus program installed, one wrong click can send your computer into madness.

Everyone dreads computer viruses, even the most experienced IT people.  Even with a decent antivirus program installed, one wrong click can send your computer into madness.  Sometimes, you may not even notice the subtleties that come with certain viruses that are intentionally quiet.  This can lead to some serious security breaches that you might not know about until it’s too late.  Here are some of the top indicators that show whether or not you have a virus.

1. Sluggish Starts

When you press your power button, your computer should start up relatively quickly.  It’s normal for old computers to be bogged down, and to start a little later than they used to.  But your computer should certainly not be sitting for inordinate amounts of time without making a single change.  At the very least, you should see the OS logo on the screen if the computer is taking the normal amount of time.  If your screen is black for more than a minute or two and you can’t even move the mouse, or even see the cursor, it may be a sign your computer has a virus.

2. Sudden Seizing

I’ve had this happen to an old laptop once before.  I was simply surfing the web, doing nothing untoward, and my CPU suddenly froze.  No matter how many safe mode restarts and scans I did, I couldn’t save the machine.  I had likely downloaded, by accident, an unsightly virus that had hidden itself from me.  If you are experiencing frequent freezing, you should get it checked out right away, so you don’t lose your computer for good.

3. Suspicious Saves

Most people don’t regularly go through their Programs folder to check if everything is in order. You definitely should be!  Of course, many programs come pre-downloaded onto computers and we may never use them.  What you want to look out for are program files with odd names, composed of seemingly random numbers or letters.  And Google every name you don’t recognize, just to be sure. Some virus-related programs can disguise themselves as seemingly legitimate.

Call SOS Technology Group to keep your computer safe.

At SOS, we know all about the seriousness of computer security.  We offer full IT support, as well as evaluations to see if your computer or system are at risk.  We also work with businesses, so if your firm seems to be running on slow machines, call us for a solution.

SOS Technology Group is a full-service IT consulting company focused on delivering IT Services and Solutions to businesses across the USA. We offer specialized, highly customized technology solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Our experienced team will be able to assist you in creating a practical, sustainable IT infrastructure for your business, from helping develop your overall IT Strategy down to implementing a fully functional network in your environment.   We offer a range of IT Consulting and IT Outsourcing services including Network Management, Dedicated Servers and Managed Services, customized to meet your unique business needs, so you can stop worrying about technology and focus on your business.     Give us a call at 410-559-7020 or contact us here to get started. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube.