These days, you can never be too sure that your computer is safe and sound. These tips should help you figure out if your computer is being monitored by an outsider.
Open your computer’s task manager
Start by navigating to the Task Manager on your computer or laptop. This will show your CPU (or core processor) usage. In other words, it shows you all of the programs running on your computer, such as Web browsers, applications, antivirus software, and other programs.
Identify any unfamiliar or usage-heavy tasks
This is where you will have to do some detective work, especially if you are not familiar with computer programs. Look through the list and make sure you can identify (or figure out) what each task is. There shouldn’t be anything on there that looks shady. If there is something that is unrecognizable, it could be a Trojan virus or malware.
In addition, check out the usage percentages for each of your tasks. If you see that something is using a high percentage of your CPU’s storage capacity, such as 50%, then it’s a sign that there’s something on your computer that should not be there.
Keep an eye out for common malware
There are some viruses and third-party programs that commonly plague computers, so you should be on the lookout for them. Some common examples include LogMeIn, GoToMyPC, RealVNC, TightVNC, UltraVNC, and just plain old VNC.
End the unfamiliar tasks
You can click on the particular program in the Task Manager and then hit “End Task” in the bottom right-hand corner of the box. This should knock the strange program or application out and keep your computer and files safe.
Now that you know what to watch out for and what to do when an unfamiliar program strikes your computer, you can more safely browse the Web.