Virus Removal

A computer virus (or malware) is an umbrella term used to refer to any type of harmful or malicious software that can enter the computer without permission and carry out damaging tasks. There are many different virus types, and some are more problematic than others, but the general rule is that a virus must be removed from the infected computer in order to prevent system damage, data or money loss, identity theft, or other potential negative consequences.

Some viruses can be removed manually, while for others the user may need the help of a reliable security program such as a good antivirus or anti-malware tool. Depending on the type of virus, the steps required to remove the threat may vary. Here are the most common types of computer malware that you may come to encounter on the Internet:

Trojans Horses

This is currently the most widespread form of computer malware. The Trojan Horses are famous for their versatile abilities and the disguise tactics their creators use to distribute them. The Trojans are known for tricking the user into downloading them by presenting themselves under the guise of a seemingly normal program or app. This makes the infections with these viruses difficult to notice without a security program. In addition, they also tend to keep their files and system entries disguised, which is why most Trojan Horse victims may need an antivirus or anti-malware program to remove the virus. That being said, it’s still typically possible to remove a Trojan manually if you are careful.

Browser Hijackers & Adware

These are two malware categories that are less problematic compared to most other threats on the Internet, yet their representatives must still be removed from any computer where they may be installed.

The main goal of adware and browser hijacker malware is to display ads in the browser and to promote certain sites on the user’s screen by triggering page-redirects to them. In most cases, the representatives of these two malware categories won’t directly damage the computer but they could still potentially make it more likely for more dangerous viruses to infect it, not to mention that their presence in the system would make your browsing activities quite unpleasant due to the constant display of ads and the frequent redirects. Removing an adware virus or a browser hijacker can almost always be done manually but some users may prefer to use the help of a removal tool.

Ransomware

This type of computer viruses is created for the single purpose of extorting money from the users it infects. The Ransomware viruses are used for blackmailing their victims by keeping their screens or their data locked. The Ransomware cryptoviruses - the ones that lock the user’s files - are the Ransomware subtype we mostly write about as they are a particularly problematic form of malware.

Removing a Ransomware cryptovirus, though sometimes difficult, can be achieved, especially if you have a strong anti-malware program in your computer. However, the real problem here is unlocking the files that the virus has locked using data-encryption, as those files would remain inaccessible even once the virus is removed. In our guides for removing Ransomware viruses, we provide our readers with instructions on both how to delete the virus and how to potentially recover the files that it has locked.