how to remove malwareIn a recent article I talked about a terrible malware program going around plaguing peoples computers and sending people to fake websites were scammers would phish unknowing prospects for their private financial information.  In that article I gave some brief information on how to check and remove that malware.

However today I thought I would go a step further and get a bit more in depth and show you not only how to remove malware from your computer but also show you a simple free solution that can manage it for you as well.  Before we go on though I have one important point to cover.

Does Virus Removal Software Get Rid Of Malware

Recently I was talking to a coworker about how to get rid of malware on his computer and he said he already had a program in place to manage all of that.  So I explained to him to give the program, I’m about to cover, a shot.  I explained to him that this program just gets rid of malware and nothing else.

So that night he went home downloaded the free malware removal program and found over 40 malware programs running on his computer all of which virus removal software did not get.

But that’s not even the best part, when he deleted the malware from his computer he noticed an instant boost in his PC performance.  Load times were faster, the internet booted up faster,  heck his computers was whole different machine altogether.  The truth is  malware not only does malicious things to your computer but it can also slow it way down as well.

The point I’m making here is that you might have some sort of antivirus software that you think deals with removing malware from your computer but malware isn’t a virus.  So before you write this off give it a shot and you might be surprised, after all its free.

Step 1:  Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

The first thing you need to do on in order to remove malware from your PC is to download the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware program.  In order to do this click on the large green button that says download now on the CNet download page from the link I just mentioned above.  Below is a picture of what you should see.

The great thing about this program is that it can scan mulitple drives, do full and quick scans of the fly, and also has a simple and easy interface that even the most nontechie person can use.

Now I should mention their is a pay for version which includes other features but for the most part the free version should do everything you need.

Step 2 : Run A Scan

Now that you have the program downloaded you need to run a scan.  Once the program is started you will be asked what type of scan you would like to do.  Below is a picture of what you will see.

malwarebytes anti-malware

On the free version you will be able to run either a quick scan  or a full scan.  For your first scan I suggest that you run the full scan,  after that you should be good with a quick scan.

The full scan will go through all of your hard drives and check them over in detail.  The quick scan will start immediately and not take as long.

Finally, you can also do the flash scan which can analyze memory, and scan objects on the go all automatically but it will cost you in order to have this feature.

Step 3: Rinse And Repeat

Finally, once you’ve run the scan you will need to delete any malware that is found.  On top of that you will have to restart your computer for those changes to fully to affect.

Once this is done you will finally want to set up a schedule to run this program again.  With the threat of new malware coming out on a continual basis it a good idea that you scan your computer and download new updates at least once every week or two.

With a plan like this in place you stand a much better chance of protecting your computer and it’s longevity.

Final Thoughts…

So now that you know how to remove malware from your computer take some time to share this helpful article with others and together we can help others avoid these malicious programs.

Chris H.

 

If you haven’t heard yet a new malware trojan virus has been going around doing some pretty nasty things to peoples computers called a DNS Changer.  So what is this DNS Changer, how does it work, how do you know if you have it, and how can you remove it?  These are the questions I will be covering in this article.

What Is DNS Changer Malware

First off, a DNS changer is a malicious program that redirects your computer to a site the looks very similar to the one you were expecting to go to.  For example, if you have this malware program on your computer and you decide to go to Paypal it may instead redirect you to a fake PayPal site were hackers can then steal your log in and password details and hack you account.

While it’s unknown how this Malware program got on peoples computers it could have come in varying forms from a simple email to going to a malicious website.  To combat this problem the FBI has set up servers to give a short term fix but this is about to end.

On Monday July 9th the FBI will be taking down these servers and anyone who has not eliminated the malware off of their computer may find themselves without internet.

So now that we know what a malware DNS changer is, lets look at how to check your computer for it and how to fix the problem.

How To Check For DNS Changer Malware

In order to check your computer for this malware program simply follow the simple 3 steps as I have them outlined.  This simple little program will check your DNS to see if a malware program is installed and maliciously changing it.

  1.   Click the DNS Changer Check-Up Link.  This link will tell you if your computer has been infected.  DNS Changer Check-Up – Click this link to test your computer  http://www.dns-ok.us/
  2.   If the web page shows GREEN then you are NOT infected.
  3.  If the web page shows RED then you ARE INFECTED.

How To Get Rid Of DNS Changer Malware

If your computer happens to be infected you need to get it removed.  For the removal of this malware program I recommend using a free program called Malware Bytes Anti-Malware Program.  Now their is a pay for version of this program but the free version should be able to solve your problems.

To do this simply download the Malware Bytes Program here and it will take you to Cnet where you can download this program.  Click on the big green button in the upper left hand corner that says download now. 

Once the program is loaded simply open the program up and select to run a full scan and then click the Scan Button.

malwarebytes anti-malware

From here simply let your computer run the complete scan and when it is done it will let you know if your computer was infected or not.

Final Thoughts…

As a final thought even if you don’t have this particular malware program on your computer you may still want to get the  free Malware Bytes program as a preventive measure of protection on your computer.  Also take some time to spread the word about this awful program and share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.

Finally feel free to share your story.  If you’ve been infected with the DNS Malware Changer share your story and together we can all work together to protect ourselves on the internet.

Chris H.