Malware is a piece of software or program designed to enter your system, network, or electronic device. The main purpose of malware is to damage and steal data that is on the system or device that is entered.
Taken from the snippet of two English words namely mal from malicious (evil) and ware from software, malware can be a pretty big threat to the security of your device. Especially if you have a lot of personal data stored in it.
The spread of malware is also very fast, in just a few minutes the malware can automatically spread to all your device systems.
For this reason, knowing how to get rid of malware is very important to keep your data safe. In this article, we will discuss 10 of the most effective malware removal methods that you can try.
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How to Remove Malware
1. Prepare File Backup
Before you try to remove the malware from your device, don't forget to prepare a backup of the files present on the device.
Provide backups on your hard drive or cloud drive that you can access at any time. It is used to prevent file loss during the process of removing malware on your device.
2. Delete Temporary Files (temp) and Cache
The first way to get rid of malware is through deleting temp files or cache on your device.
Temporary files, including caches and cookies stored on your device, are often a hotbed for malware. Especially if you often surf and download a lot of files from the internet.
For that, it is highly recommended to periodically delete your temporary files. If you are using Windows 10, you can take advantage of the Disk Cleanup feature to delete temporary files and cache.
You can also delete temporary files via the command prompt on your desktop or laptop. The trick is to press the Windows logo and R on your keyboard at the same time. Then, type %temp% and delete all the files that appear.
If it's your phone that's infected with malware, you can try using an anti-malware app on the Playstore or Appstore of your device.
3. Scan Your Device
Another effective way of removing malware is to perform a thorough scan of your device.
Scanning will notify you of any malicious malware lodged in your device and also remove it.
If you already have anti-virus or anti-malware software on your device, do a thorough scan immediately.
The scanning process will depend on how many files you have on your device. That is why before scanning, it is recommended that you delete the temporary files on your device first.
After the scanning process is complete, your anti-virus or anti-malware software will automatically remove and remove any existing malware. Very simple isn't it?
4. Remove Unknown Programs
If the scanning process is not successful in removing malware from your device, pay attention to any suspicious programs or software installed on the device.
Sometimes the files you download from the internet carry dangerous malware that will automatically install on your device.
You can open a list of programs and software through your device settings. Go to the Settings menu > Apps and immediately uninstall or remove programs and software that you don't recognize.
5. Turning Off Your Internet Connection
If you experience a malware attack while you are surfing the internet using a public wifi connection, turn off your internet connection immediately.
This is done to avoid the transmission and theft of data through the connection. Hackers can take advantage of public wifi connections to spread malware and steal data from connected devices.
For that, stay careful when using public wifi connections and turn off your connection if something strange appears on your device while connected to that connection.
6. Enable Safe Mode
Another way to get rid of malware is to enable the safe mode of your device. Safe mode is a feature used by your device to repair any damage or threats that exist on the device.
In safe mode, your device will only load the programs and services needed to fix the damage. With this mode, your device will operate faster.
To enter safe mode, all you need to do is:
- Reset your computer or laptop.
- Press f8 on your keyboard.
- Select the safe mode preference you want.
7. Reset Browser
Sometimes malware can also occur in the browser you use to surf the internet.
If there are a lot of advertisements and news popups appearing on your browser, this could be due to malware hidden in the files you downloaded.
To solve and remove malware from your browser, simply reset or reset the browser you are using.
If you are using Google Chrome, go to the Settings page and find the Advanced option. Then, look for the Reset and clean up option.
If you are using Mozilla Firefox, go to the Help menu and press the Troubleshooting Information button. Next, hit Refresh firefox and Finish.
8. Reset System Restore
In addition to factory reset, Windows also has a feature called system restore which will restore the system from your device to the configuration of the last saved restore point.
The method is quite easy, you just need to turn off the system restore feature through your device configuration page and turn off the device.
Re-enable the system restore feature when you turn on your device and the existing files on the system will be replaced with the new configuration.
9. Windows Defender
If you are a Windows computer operating system user, you do not need to install any other anti-malware or anti-virus application. Windows has a built-in anti-malware software called Windows Defender that comes on all of its devices.
To open Windows defender on your computer, open your computer's Settings menu. Then, tap Update & Security > Windows Security . To perform a scan, select Virus & threat protection.
10. Reset Your Device
The final way to remove malware from your device is to reset the device. With a reset, your device will return to the state it was in when you bought it.
Of course, this will automatically remove and eliminate any malware present on your system. However, keep in mind that resetting the device will erase all the data on the device.
Conclusion
So those were 10 ways to get rid of malware from your device quickly and easily. Here's a short recap:
- Prepare backup files
- Delete temporary files on your device
- Scan your device thoroughly using anti-malware
- Remove unknown programs on your device
- Turn off your internet connection
- Activate safe mode
- Reset your browser
- Reset system restore
- Use Windows Defender
- Reset your device
Today malware is one of the biggest threats on the internet. Not only because malware can attack anyone, but this malicious software is also growing every day with better deployment methods and quality.
That is why a layered security strategy or layer approach is very important for internet users. Equip your device or network with multiple layers of security such as installing anti-malware, server monitoring, and powerful patch/update management.
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