How to Clean Up a Trojan Virus
A trojan is a piece of malware that allows unauthorized access to a computer. A trojan infection could be the result of an infected download or web page that installed the trojan on the system. If a trojan is not removed, private data and usage information could be transferred over the web. There are many different options for trojan detection and removal. These steps outline a few free and easy methods of scanning for trojans.
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Instructions
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"AVG Free" is a powerful virus protection tool and malware scanner that can remove most infections. You can download "AVG Free" via the link in the "Resources" section of this article.
During the installation process of "AVG Free," you may want to uncheck the "AVG Security Toolbar," as this feature can sometime use up valuable system resources. A fully updated "Full Scan" will check every file on your computer and should detect and remove the trojan automatically.
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"Malwarebytes" is another free and speedy option that does not offer active protection. However, the scanner is quite powerful and rarely misses an infection. You can download "Malwarebytes" via the link in the "Resources" section of this article.
"Malwarebytes" also offers a "Full Scan" option, but even the "Quick Scan" option should discover most infections if it is fully updated.
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"Spybot Search and Destroy" is a freeware spyware/malware scanner that you can download via the link in the "Resources" section of this article.
During the installation process, you may choose to opt out of the "Teatimer" feature, as this can also eat up some of your system's RAM or processing power. "Teatimer" is similar to the active protection offered in "AVG Free." Much like "AVG Free," "Teatimer" offers active protection, periodically popping up to warn you about changes being made to your system (such as registry changes or executed files), and giving you the opportunity to cancel or allow these changes.
"Spybot" can also actively protect your browser via a feature known as "Immunization." This feature builds safeguards inside your browser against known trojans and spyware infections. However, "Immunization" has been known to increase the time it takes web browsers to open. The "Search and Destroy" button will run through a list of definitions in order to locate the trojan infection. At the end of the scan, simply select to heal all infections.
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Tips & Warnings
If a trojan is not removed, private data and usage information could be transferred over the web.
References
Resources
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