Is your computer running slow? So you can tell if a virus is the cause

The reason your computer is running slow could be a virus. / PHOTOLIA

A malfunction can be a sign that you have a malicious process installed on your device

Have you noticed that your computer is running slower than normal? Although the passage of time influences the proper functioning of the devices, this could be a sign that it is infected by a malicious program. The Internet Security Office warns that a virus can be the cause of a drop in performance.

If your computer takes time to turn on, open a file or download a document, you should be suspicious. Typically, these issues are caused by the team installing something and needing to “slow down.” They also point out that the use of the internet connection by more people may be the reason that browsing slows down. However, these symptoms may be an indication that it is actually a virus or ‘malware’, which is taking advantage of your computer to carry out malicious processes in the background and consuming the computer’s performance.

These viruses can be hosted on your devices in different ways. The most common are caused by access to malicious web pages and through messages with fraudulent links used by cybercriminals to deceive their victims. These socially engineered scams are rampant and put your personal data and money in your bank account at risk. The best way to avoid these threats is to have an antivirus installed and not to click on websites if you suspect their authenticity.

Even so, your device is still at risk as the virus can overcome the protection barrier. For this reason, it is convenient to check your computer to discover if the cause of the malfunction is a virus.

How to detect a virus in Windows

To access the Windows tool, which allows you to detect a virus, right-click on ‘Start’ and click on ‘Task Manager’. Once opened, you will see a window with numerous tabs and information. Within the first of all, ‘Processes’, you will see the active processes in real time of the team, as well as the percentage of resources that they are consuming. This tool will help you identify an illegitimate process. These are the recommendations given by the Internet Security Office and the steps you must follow.

1. Ask yourself the following questions:

– Is there an application or process that does not ring a bell?

– Is this application or process consuming many more resources than the rest?

2. If you still have doubts, you can obtain more information by accessing ‘Properties’. Inside you will find information about the file or process, its location, or when it was created. Data that will help you identify it as legitimate or malicious. You can also use the File.net website, where you can search for the process name and find out if it is a legitimate or malicious process

3. Once you have identified a malicious process or, at least, one that seems suspicious to you, it is time to proceed to its termination. Click on it and click on ‘End task’.

4. To confirm that you have finished with the threat, you must verify that the performance of the computer improves. It is also recommended to scan the system with the antivirus to erase any trace of the virus or malware.

How to identify a malicious process on Mac

If your computer is from Apple, you can also check if slower performance is due to a malicious process.

1. Access the ‘Activity Monitor’ of your device. To enter this list of processes open the ‘Activity Monitor’ application. Here you will see a list with all active applications and processes.

2. If any of them don’t ring a bell, you can find more information by clicking on them and pressing the “i” icon. With this tool you will be able to see the path of the application linked to said process or the percentage of memory used. If you think it is a suspicious process, you can end it by clicking on the cross icon, located at the top left of the ‘Activity Monitor’ window.

3. Finally, if you don’t detect any suspicious processes, but the computer still goes wrong, you can run a system diagnostic to find out about a malicious process by clicking on the gear icon.