Some of the more obvious signs of active intrusion would be your mouse moving without your control, apps opening in front of your eyes, or files actively being deleted. However, not all pop-ups should be concerning–many apps that update automatically can generate pop-ups during the update process. Slow internet or unfamiliar programs are not necessarily the result of someone gaining remote access to your computer.
Windows: To see recently-opened files, press the Windows Key + E to open the File Explorer. [1] X Research source At the bottom of the main panel, check the section called “Recent files” to see if there’s anything you don’t recognize. You can also view recently-opened apps at the top of the Start menu. Mac: Click the Apple menu at the top-left corner of the screen and select Recent Items. You can now click Applications to see recently-used apps, Documents to see files, and Servers to see a list of remote outgoing connections. [2] X Research source
Windows – Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Mac – Open the Applications folder in Finder, double-click the Utilities folder, and then double-click Activity Monitor. [4] X Research source
VNC, RealVNC, TightVNC, UltraVNC, LogMeIn, GoToMyPC, and TeamViewer. Look for any programs that seem suspicious or that you don’t recognize either. You can perform a web search for the process name if you aren’t sure what a program is.
Malware is typically the easiest way for hackers to infiltrate your personal computer. [7] X Expert Source Yaffet MesheshaComputer Specialist Expert Interview. 22 September 2020. If you don’t have an antivirus, download an installer on another computer and transfer it to your computer via USB. Install the antivirus and then run a scan with it. A free, easy-to-use third-party anti-malware scanner available for both PCs and Macs is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. You can download it for free from https://www. malwarebytes. com.
Malware is typically the easiest way for hackers to infiltrate your personal computer. [7] X Expert Source Yaffet MesheshaComputer Specialist Expert Interview. 22 September 2020. If you don’t have an antivirus, download an installer on another computer and transfer it to your computer via USB. Install the antivirus and then run a scan with it. A free, easy-to-use third-party anti-malware scanner available for both PCs and Macs is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. You can download it for free from https://www. malwarebytes. com.
Malware is typically the easiest way for hackers to infiltrate your personal computer. [7] X Expert Source Yaffet MesheshaComputer Specialist Expert Interview. 22 September 2020. If you don’t have an antivirus, download an installer on another computer and transfer it to your computer via USB. Install the antivirus and then run a scan with it. A free, easy-to-use third-party anti-malware scanner available for both PCs and Macs is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. You can download it for free from https://www. malwarebytes. com.
Malware is typically the easiest way for hackers to infiltrate your personal computer. [7] X Expert Source Yaffet MesheshaComputer Specialist Expert Interview. 22 September 2020. If you don’t have an antivirus, download an installer on another computer and transfer it to your computer via USB. Install the antivirus and then run a scan with it. A free, easy-to-use third-party anti-malware scanner available for both PCs and Macs is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. You can download it for free from https://www. malwarebytes. com.
When backing up any data from an infected machine, make sure to scan each file before backing it up. There’s always a chance that reintroducing an old file can lead to a re-infection. See How to Wipe Clean a Computer for instructions on formatting your Windows or Mac computer and reinstalling the operating system.
Windows Defender is an effective antivirus software that comes pre-installed on Windows computers. [8] X Expert Source Yaffet MesheshaComputer Specialist Expert Interview. 22 September 2020. See How to Turn On Windows Defender for instructions on enabling Windows Defender on your Windows computer. See Install an Antivirus for instructions on installing an antivirus program if you don’t want to use Defender. Windows Defender will automatically deactivate if you install another antivirus program.
See How to Set Up Port Forwarding on a Router and ensure that none of your ports are open unless necessary for a server you are running.
In addition, be wary of any emails you receive that ask you for personal information. Sometimes phishing websites will closely mimic sites you trust in an effort to get your username, password, or other sensitive information. [10] X Expert Source Yaffet MesheshaComputer Specialist Expert Interview. 22 September 2020.
See Configure a VPN for instructions on setting up a connection to a VPN service.