Spywareis often designed to work quietly so users don't notice it's there. However, there are some tell-tale signs to watch for:
Invasive pop-ups: If ads are appearing on your desktop when you open your browser (or even without you doing anything), there's a chance your computer may be infected with spyware. Spyware can force your computer to show you ads against your will, or worse, scams with the intent to steal your personal information.
Browser hijacking: If your browser homepage has changed without your input, there's a strong chance your computer is infected with spyware. This type of spywaremay also override your search bar, edit search terms, and redirect traffic to a compromised page.
Unexplained slowdowns: If your computer is suffering from sudden and unexplained performance loss, there's a chance some malicious software is the culprit. Spyware, viruses, and other dangerous software can impactyour computer’s performance significantly by communicating with other computers, reading and modifying your files, and consuming disk space.
Mysterious file changes: If files on your desktop or drives have moved, or been deleted without your input, there may be spyware or a virus at work.
Emails you didn't send: If your sent email folder has emails in it you didn't send, then it's strongly likely that one of your devices with access to your email is infected with spyware or a virus. Spyware often works in the background while it watches your actions and sends that information to other places. Spyware designed to harvest email credentials may have stolen your sign-in information and your email might have been hijacked.
We strongly recommend changing your email passwordusing a secure device as soon as possible if you suspect it has been hijacked.
