Virus & Malware Removal

How did I get a virus? I have anti-virus software!

We hear this question a lot. Unfortunately, even the “best” anti-virus software in the world can’t protect your computer from every type of virus and malware. There are new cyber threats being created on a daily basis and the creators are getting very sneaky. They find ways to disguise their malware from leading anti-virus companies like Norton, McAfee, and others, infecting critical parts of your operating system.

How many different types of viruses and malware are there?

Frankly, there are too many to name. If we started listing them off, you would most likely stop reading. So we will sum it up into three categories, which is generally what you will see online also.

– Computer Virus:  It is very much like the flu virus, designed to spread from host to host with the ability to replicate itself. Spreading through computers via networks (especially the Internet) or removable storage such as external hard drives, flash drives, etc., often causing damage to systems and data.

– Malware:  This is really just an umbrella term to describe any form of malicious code or software program that is harmful to computer systems. Typically, it seeks to invade or disable computers and networks, even smartphones and tablets.

– Adware:  Also referred to as PUP’s (Potentially Unwanted Programs). PUP’s are very sneaky, often being installed without you knowing. They are designed to throw advertisements up on your screen, especially while browsing the internet and can severely affect the performance of your computer.

Why do people create computer viruses and malware? 

There are a crazy amount of cyber threats on the internet today. If we had to guess, we’d say hundreds of thousands or more.  It doesn’t stop there. Have you heard the term adware? Adware is neither a virus or malware, it is simply a software program that automatically displays or downloads ads, with a sole purpose of generating income for the creator.

There are three main reasons why people create them:

1. To fraudulently or unethically make money.
2. To steal identities and account information.
3. To purposely cause problems and trouble for end users

So how do you remove a virus, malware, or adware infection?

Because cyber-criminals have gotten so sneaky over the years, it is not as easy as running a virus scan anymore. These advanced infections can spread to critical parts of your operating system and can be very difficult to remove. Often times, we have to run multiple virus & malware removal tools, as well as run many other tools or manually repair all software issues the infection may have caused.

Our Virus Removal Process:

We recommend starting off with our free computer diagnostic. We will analyze your PC or Mac for any and all types of threats to determine our best cause of action as well as provide you with a free estimated repair cost. We can either get started remotely by securely accessing your computer over the internet or we can send a tech out to your home or office. We guarantee that we will remove ALL infections, as well as any leftover traces it may leave behind. We also guarantee to find and fix any software or performance issues the infection may have caused. If for some rare reason we can’t remove the infection, then we will not charge you for the service.