Nowadays, there have been many cases of infecting Mac computers with new viruses. Probably, 2020 is a sort of “virus year” but you shouldn’t feel scared. When you know how to remove viruses from your computer and how to protect it during surfing the Internet, nothing can harm it. We have created this short and informative Mac malware removal guide for those users who want to keep their computers clean from malware and other viruses without stress. Keep reading and follow our detailed and simple instructions!
Malware: Definition and Types
In fact, the term “malware” is used to describe an unwanted intrusion on your computer. You cannot say that malware and virus are synonyms because a virus is only a sort of model created to harm a device. There are several types of malware that can attack your Mac:
- Downloads – when you are downloading some object or program from a non-reliable source, it may contain malware that will be downloaded on your computer.
- Keyloggers and spyware – these are spy programs that are created to steal your personal information from the computer.
- Backdoor programs – these are hackers’ applications that control your device remotely without you knowing.
- Botnet – this is an app that makes your computer a shadow bot.
- Rootkit – this application makes changes in administrator access.
- Trojans – these are applications that have a disguise as reliable software, and after downloading they start working and make harm to your Mac.
- PUP – these are potentially unwanted programs on your computer.
- Ransomware – applications that can lock a screen of the computer.
- IDP generic virus – it steals your banking information or other sensitive data.
The Main Symptoms Your Computer is Infected by Malware
A malware application doesn’t look suspicious. It can be disguised as an extractor, antivirus, or a video player. Anyway, if your Mac has malware, you will notice the next symptoms:
- Your Mac’s performance can drop suddenly, or you even expected freeze-ups of your computer.
- Pages on the Internet you view have many ads.
- You expect sudden reboots of your Mac or you see its applications start when you didn’t launch them.
- You see that some suspicious updates are installed on the browser.
You need to remember the next 5 signs that will tell you an application is a sort of a virus:
- A “plug-in” or “codec” is downloaded from an unknown website.
- An application invites you to “fix” your Mac from viruses.
- Pirated software
- Legit software that was downloaded from an unknown source
- Software from BitTorrent
How Can My Mac Get Infected?
Even if you try to not visit suspicious websites and download software only from well-trusted reliable websites, there is a risk your computer may get malware. In general, there are five common ways how your Mac can be infected with the malware:
- Fake updates for Flash Player
- Download from torrent
- A scam that informs your Mac is infected
- Emails with .doc attachments
- Camera access request
There is nothing to worry about even if you already have malware on your Mac. Just follow our hints below to clean your device from suspicious programs and renew its productivity and functionality.
Malware Removal Tips
And now, let’s see how you can remove malware from the device. There are two ways – manual and using an antivirus program.
If you already know which program on your Mac should be deleted as malware, this problem can be solved manually. You have to close the application and delete it from processes:
- Open Launchpad and find Activity Monitor.
- Then find the suspicious application in the Processes.
- Stop the app using the [X] button.
If after doing this, you expect problems while working on your Mac, it means you haven’t deleted all the suspicious applications. It’s better to download a reliable antivirus and scan your computer to find potential threats.
We suggest downloading a good antivirus app for your computer and use it constantly to protect your device from various types of viruses.