How to Get Rid of an Internet Virus
In the best-case scenario, an Internet virus in your computer will severely compromise your system resources. Your computer will slow down drastically until the virus is removed. In the worst-case scenario, a virus can copy personal information like credit card and Social Security numbers for the benefit of a third party. Luckily, you need only download antivirus software to remove an Internet virus.
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Instructions
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Download and install antivirus software. This is a program designed to scan every file on your hard drive for the presence of viruses, which will be removed when found. There are several high-quality free and paid options available. Symantec, makers of Norton Antivirus, offers a free trial version of its software at www.symantec.com. Other free antivirus programs include Avast! Antivirus Protection and AVG Free. (See Resources.)
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Update your virus definitions. Virus definitions are updated regularly by the companies that make antivirus software. These definitions contain instructions for the program itself on what to look for regarding the latest viruses when scanning your hard drive. In most programs, simply looking for the "Update" option in the "Tools" or "Help" menu will do. If you're using Norton Antivirus, you must run a program called "Live Update."
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Scan your hard drive. In performing a full system scan, your antivirus software looks at every file on your hard drive for remnants of a computer virus. If anything is found, you will be presented with a list of compromised files. You can opt to quarantine these files, which prevents them from being used by any other program or your operating system, or you can simply delete them from your hard drive.
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Continue to regularly scan your hard drive. Removing the one virus you knew you had does not mean you're safe forever. New viruses appear daily, so you'll want to perform regular system scans to make sure malicious software stays out of your computer.
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