If you ever get a popup saying, Your computer is infected with Spyware or a Virus. DO NOT click on that web page and DO NOT restart your computer until you run a scan with your own Real Software. It will sometimes look like a program installed on your computer is giving you this pop up. It's a virus and you do not want to click on it. You want to try and close it safely. To close it safely follow the steps below.
You can try holding down the Alt button on your keyboard and then hitting the F4 button while you hold down the Alt button. If that doesn't work. Close out of your web browser by right clicking on the window in your taskbar, then click close. (a picture is shown below)
If you still cant get that pop up window to close you can use task manager and close Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera or what ever web browser you were surfing the web with when this pop up window happened.
How to Open Task Manager:
- Right click on start bar in a blank area. (not the start button, but a blank area would be a spot with no icons on the start bar) click here for image
- After you right click, choose the option for "task manager"
- After the task manager opens choose the applications tabs at the top of the task manager, then end any applications you find running. Then the pop windows should be closed.
ASG suggests running an Antivirus scan or Antispyware scan with your own software if you ever get a popup like this. Usually when you get a popup saying that your computer is infected, the website that is giving you the popup is attacking your computer. So even if you close out of that popup window. You computer could already be infected if the website successfully attacked your computer and installed a virus or other malware on it.
So update your actual security software and run a scan with it.
If you don't have any Antivirus or Antispyware, ASG has an ASG approved list of Completely Free Antivirus and Antispyware here for personal use:
- ASG Antivirus
- ASG Antispyware
ASG also has Steps for Removing Viruses and Spyware if you are unable to remove the virus yourself. The steps ASG has put together include the most common ways to remove stubborn viruses and includes some advanced ways if you feel comfortable going further.
ASG - Steps to Remove Malware (including viruses, spyware and adware)
