My Windows 11 PC has 8 GB of RAM. Until yesterday, memory usage typically stayed around 37–45% and CPU usage was about 10%. After visiting an unverified third-party website for an urgent issue, memory usage suddenly rose to around 70–75% and continues increasing unless I close something. CPU usage is now roughly 40–50%. I ran a virus scan, but it did not find anything. Task Manager shows similar individual processes as before, so Windows itself seems to be using more memory than usual. What should I check, and could this be malware or simply normal memory behavior?
2 Answers
Start by checking Task Manager while the usage is high. Sort the Processes tab by Memory and also look at the Performance and Details tabs to identify whether a particular application, background service, or browser process is growing over time. With only 8 GB, Windows can easily reach 70% or more after normal apps and background services are running. Restart the computer, install pending Windows and browser updates, and see whether the usage rises again without opening anything unusual.
A single visit to a website does not normally permanently increase RAM usage, and Windows often uses available memory for caching. However, a malicious download, browser extension, or vulnerable outdated system could still cause trouble. Make sure Windows Defender definitions are current, run a full scan plus an offline scan, review recently installed programs and browser extensions, and remove anything unfamiliar. If the problem continues after a clean restart with no unusual programs open, check for a memory leak or run Windows Memory Diagnostic.
A website visit alone is usually harmless, but it is still worth checking for downloads, extensions, or other changes made around the same time rather than assuming malware is impossible.
The percentages shown for individual processes look about the same as before, but overall memory usage keeps climbing, as if the system itself is reserving more RAM.