I just realized I've got my first virus in over 15 years! I can't remember how to get rid of these pesky things. I keep seeing annoying pop-ups in the corner that lead to shady websites. What steps should I take to clean my system?
1 Answer
It sounds like you might be dealing with some adware instead of a full virus. First off, check for any dubious browser extensions and remove those. Reset your browser settings back to default as well. It’s a good idea to run a complete system scan with something like Windows Defender or Malwarebytes to catch anything malicious. Also, go through your installed programs and delete anything unfamiliar—most of the time, it's just those irksome pop-ups, rather than a serious threat.
The pop-ups are persistent, showing up every minute and always leading to the same sketchy site. This seems more severe than typical ads.