Tell if Your Computer Is Infected by a Trojan Horse

Is your computer acting weird? Do pop-ups keep appearing on your screen even when you're not browsing the internet? If so you may be infected with a Trojan Horse.

Steps

  1. Open your Add/Remove Programs and Task Manager and look for any applications you do not remember installing.
    • Add/Remove Programs can be found by clicking Start->Settings->Control Panel
    • The Task Manager is accessed by right-clicking on the Task Bar (at the bottom of the screen) and selecting Task Manager.
  2. Using your favorite search engine, search for any programs you do not immediately recognize.
  3. Press Winkey and R at the same time, type in regedit, click HKEY_CURRENT_USER, Software, Microsoft, Windows, CurrentVersion, Run. Check for the names of any programs you do not know what they are and use Google to find what they are. This shows all programs that automatically start when you turn on the computer. Then HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, Software, Microsoft Windows, CurrentVersion, Run, and check for and delete the entry for any unwanted programs.
  4. Look for security or technology websites in the results which may provide information if the application is malicious.
  5. Use the same search engine to search for the specific name of any Trojan Horses you find and look for removal instructions.
  6. If the removal instructions for your Trojan Horse don't work scan your PC with your anti-virus and anti-spyware applications.
  7. If you do not have a Virus Scanner or Spyware Scanner look for a free online virus or spyware tools such as AVG.
  8. Your PC should now be free from the Trojan Horse!

Tips

  • Some Trojans will reinstall themselves when deleted. look again after you delete it to make sure it is gone for good!
  • After you remove the Trojan Horse it may be a good time to get a new anti-virus scanner if your current one did not detect the Trojan Horse you had.

Warnings

  • Don't download any anti-virus scanner that your hear about from a pop-up advertisement as these often contain viruses themselves.

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