Computer Virus, Malware, and Spyware Removal

Malware (also referred to as viruses) is an umbrella term for a variety of hostile and dangerous programs, including viruses, worms, trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, rootkits, and scareware. Usually, malware find its’ way onto your computer without your consent through spam email attachments.

What are Viruses and Malware?

The most common goal of malware is to steal private data. This can be a serious issue, especially if your computer contains confidential information, such as bank account details and passwords.

As viruses and other malicious software become more advanced, they can remain undetected by anti-virus software. And once your computer is infected, it can be very difficult for the average computer-user to locate and remove it. Left untreated, malware can cause a whole host of problems. Worst case scenario, your computer will be left unusable and your personal data unsecure and irretrievable.

Common signs of Malware Infection

Malware doesn’t always immediately spring into action when your device has become infected. It can wait for days or weeks before it performs any actions, or you notice it. It pays to be aware of symptoms so you can resolve the issue before significant damage is done:

Common signs your PC or MacBook is infected with malware can include

Computer becoming slow during booting and generally whilst running.
Random computer crashes or freezes.
Internet / Web Browsing being slow.
Web pages redirecting you unwanted / strange web sites.
Suspicious and/or aggressive pop-up advertisements.
System functions (like Task Manager, Control Panel, File Explorer) being unavailable.
Missing Files.
Hard disk space is continuously running low.
Strange toolbars installed in Google Chrome or Firefox.
Suspicious looking browser homepages.
Inability to send emails and numerous bounced emails.
Disabled internet security software.
Inability to install software.

Whilst not as common, mobile devices (particularly Android based ones) can be infected with malware. Things to watch out for here include strange popups, reduced battery life, and ransom-based messages.

How we expertly remove Malware

We follow a multi-step procedure to remove viruses, malware, or adware infections. This ensures that your data is not damaged so your computer will run as it did before the infection.

• We use specialised software tools to remove each piece of malware. If these automated tools fail, we remove the infection manually.

• We also repair any damage or software issues caused by the malware.

• We ensure your computer has the latest security software installed and we teach you how to perform regular maintenance.

Other computer repairs businesses do offer a quicker and sometimes cheaper malware removal service. However, this type of service usually relies on only running a fraction of the scans we do. scan. One anti-virus scan usually means that not all traces of the malware are removed. This results in the malware reappearing within a short period of time.

Malware on Apple Macs

Whilst most infected computers we deal with are Microsoft Windows based, malware can and does infect Apple Mac based computers. As Mac computers have become increasingly popular, hackers have increased their targeting of this platform.

Cost of Malware Removal

We charge a fixed fee of $199 for malware removal. This fee applies when the work is undertaken in our workshop in Mandurah.

Whilst we are successful in more than 95% of the cases, in rare instances we may need to perform a clean installation of Windows. In this worst-case scenario, after discussing the matter with you upfront, we would backup your files, music, photos and programs. We then reinstall the operating system and your applications and transfer your data back. For this far lengthier procedure we charge a fixed fee of $299. We will always contact you before undertaking this more expensive fix.

Protecting Yourself in Future

As new viruses are being developed all the time it’s important that you keep your anti-virus program up to date. Anti-virus programs are updated frequently to tackle new malware programs.

We have a recommended anti malware solution which is particularly effective against the new style Crypto Locker malware. Our technicians will discuss this with you, and you may be able to receive a discounted price based on your existing solution.

However, no matter how careful you are no computer is invulnerable to a malware attack. Thus, we highly recommend you do frequent backups. If you would like us to do this for you, we can also setup an automated backup system for your device. Doing regular backups will ease the pain should your computer become infected by malware. If you haven’t made and kept backups, we suggest you start now.

Webroot is a light-weight and secure anti-virus offered and recommended by us. For pricing and setup, please contact us.

Get in Touch with us!

Don’t hesitate to get in touch! No problem is too small or too large for our IT crew. Our technicians remove the ‘geek speak’ and talk to you in plain English so that nobody is left behind.