Malware removal is the process of eradicating potentially malicious software that has been secretly loaded onto a hard drive as the computer user visits various sites around the Internet. While many forms of malware do little more than track Internet browsing and use the data to develop marketing campaigns, some forms are capable of capturing confidential information such as credit card numbers and login credentials established by the computer operator. There are a number of different malware removers available today, many of them at no charge.
The presence of malware means that system resources are diverted to run the software silently in the background. This can cause the computer to take more time to execute various commands. In extreme cases, the demands of the malware can lead to damage to software and hardware components, rendering them unusable. There are also malware and virus combinations that can hijack email accounts for the purpose of sending SPAM messages, distribute infected attachments to unsuspecting users, and even cause the computer system to lock up and fail completely.
Malware removals are usually performed by loading new software on the hard drive that is capable of locating malware components, analyzing them and then wiping them from the system. There are a number of malware removal packages that are provided free of charge. All the end user has to do is download the software, run a scan and then instruct the software to remove the offending trackers and other forms of malware found on the hard drive.
Today it is not unusual to find system cleanup tools that conduct malware removal along with spyware removal and computer virus removal at the same time. Using these types of multi-purpose system cleaners eliminates the need to download several different software packages as part of the system protection process. Many of these multipurpose malware removal programs will also clear the registry of any suspicious entries as well as remove Trojans and various types of adware and spyware.
Once loaded, a malware removal tool may operate silently in the background to scan incoming emails as well as block the automatic download of tracking software from various Internet sites. Some spyware malware removal systems are configured to run continually in order to prevent infections. Other programs are designed to be deployed by the end user from time to time as a means of periodically clearing any malware from the hard drive.
Just about every malware removal tool requires periodic updating. Since new forms of spyware, adware, and viruses are developed daily, the creator of the malware removal product will provide users with the ability to update the catalog of malicious infections the program will identify and remove. Most software packages either allow for automatic updates to occur while the end user is logged onto the Internet, or encourage users to regularly visit the home site for the malware removal product and manually download updates.
