malware Archives - Page 2 of 26

Q&A: How can I completely remove Norton antivirus from my PC?

Posted on April 9, 2023

Question from Dagan: I’ve been using Norton 360 for years, but it recently let a bunch of viruses slip through and get installed on my computer.

Norton removes a bunch of viruses every time I run it but they just keep coming right back.

I want to ditch Norton and install a different antivirus app but I know you’re only supposed to run one antivirus app at a time.

The problem I’m having is I can’t seem to get all the Norton 360 files uninstalled so that I can install Malwarebytes. The Windows thingy that uninstalls programs gets rid of some of the Norton files but some of them come right back when I reboot the computer.

How can I completely uninstall ALL the Norton files from my hard drive? [Read more…]

Yes, free antivirus apps are just as good as ‘paid’ antivirus apps

Posted on February 24, 2023

I’m often asked if free antivirus apps are as effective at protecting a Windows PC from virus infections as their “paid” counterparts.

And I must say, that’s an excellent question.

Back in the early days of home computing my answer would have been no because the free antivirus programs available at the time were indeed inferior to the commercial programs.

But that has changed over the years…

[Read more…]

Q&A: How can I find out how much data each app on my PC is using?

Posted on February 9, 2023

Question from Gary: My ISP has notified me that I have exceeded the monthly data allotment for my Internet plan and that I might have to pay extra this month.

I don’t understand this because I only use the Internet for about 1 to 2 hours per day and I don’t do much streaming at all other than watching an occasional YouTube video.

I only have one computer using my WiFi connection. No phones or tablets use WiFi, just this one computer. There is nothing connected via a wired connection either.

I’m hoping you can help me find out what’s using all that data? [Read more…]

Q&A: Is Microsoft Defender just as good as other antivirus apps?

Posted on February 8, 2023

Question from Darryl: I have always understood Windows’ built-in “Microsoft Defender” antivirus app to be inferior to other antivirus programs.

But yesterday I heard that might no longer be the case.

What’s your opinion about Microsoft Defender?

Is it really just as good as the third-party antivirus programs that are being sold today?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

If your PC is acting weird, it’s probably malware

Posted on February 7, 2023

Has your computer started acting weird all of a sudden? For example…

Do web pages take forever to load or are you getting pop-ups every time you breathe?

Is your web browser covered in toolbars?

Has your home page or default search engine been mysteriously changed without your permission?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, your PC is probably infected with malware. [Read more…]