It's easy to assume that you're never going to be affected by malware. But almost anyone is at risk of being targeted. This is why it's important to be aware of the symptoms of a malware infection. So, what signs should you be looking out for?

1. Slow Performance

If your device is performing poorly, there may be a lot of causes behind it, including malware. When a malware program is running, it can take a toll on performance speed as it exfiltrates, monitors, or corrupts the data on your device. This can also cause overheating issues and intermittent crashes.

If you've noticed that your device is suddenly lacking in performance, or is experiencing crashes and overheating, then it might be worth running a malware scan to make sure you haven't been targeted by a malicious actor.

If your antivirus scan comes back clean, there's likely another cause for your performance issues, such as a faulty CPU, full memory, or fragmented data on your HDD. But there does remain a small chance that there is malware on your device and it's evaded your antivirus program. So, if you've ruled out all other causes, or you're noticing some of the other malware symptoms listed here, get in touch with a cybersecurity expert to further discuss your concern.

2. Random Popups

If you're receiving popups from an unknown application, you may just not recognize an old or default software program installed on your device. However, if you see very persuasive notifications, such as warnings, prompts, and requests from an unknown application, you could be dealing with malware.

For example, if you're getting security notifications from an antivirus app that you never installed yourself, this may be a malware program trying to interact with you, either to steal data or gain control of your device.

Malware can also come in the form of pop-up advertisements. If you're going about your day-to-day tasks on your device, yet you're being bombarded with annoying ads, this could be adware, a form of malware. Adware is used to display malicious ads on the infected device, and can even monitor your activity so that it can serve you targeted popups.

Adware isn't as severe as some other kinds of malware, but can still pose many risks. So it's important that you confirm its presence (or hopefully, its absence) to keep yourself safe.

3. Sudden Shut-Downs and Restarts

Is your laptop, computer, or phone constantly shutting down or restarting? Like performance issues, there are a range of factors that may be causing it, but you should rule out malware before doing anything else.

What you may not know is that certain kinds of malware are actually designed to restart your computer. This could be because the malware itself needs to update, or may be an evasion tactic to stop your antivirus software from running a scan. Some malware can even perform a factory reset on your device! The risk here is evident.

If you've run a malware scan, and it has come back clean, and you can't see any new apps or files that you don't recognize on your device, consider other causes for this issue, such as faulty hardware.

4. A New App That Cannot Be Removed

Have you tried deleting a new or suspicious app, but it simply won't go? This could be a sign of malware. Some malware programs are very difficult to delete, as the operator wants it to remain on your device so they can further compromise you.

This could be a separate issue—sometimes, you'll need to take extra steps to delete a benign app if it won't budge. But it's worth running an antivirus scan to see what the situation is.

5. New or Suspicious Files

If you've noticed unusual new files on your device, this doesn't necessarily mean that you're dealing with malware. Applications, USB drives, and other factors can result in new files that you don't recognize. But it's wise to not ignore questionable files on your device, as the risk of malware does exist.

If you've spotted a new or suspicious file on your device, do not open it. This could trigger a malicious function on your device and worsen the situation if the file is harmful. Instead, run the file through a scanner to determine whether it is safe. There are various free online file scanners out there, though your antivirus provider may offer this feature in your package.

You can run an antivirus scan, which may pick up on and automatically delete the suspicious files. If this doesn't do the trick, but you see no use for the file, you can simply delete it.

Run a quick internet search of the file name beforehand to make sure you're not about to delete an important file that you just don't recognize.

6. A New Browser Home Page

Say you open your go-to browser, and the homepage, or default search engine, has suddenly changed. On top of this, there may be a new and unusual toolbar at the top of your browser page, or multiple toolbars. These are common malware indicators, and should be taken seriously.

You can change your search engine back in your browser settings, but this doesn't mean you're free of malware if it has already infected your device. Run a malware scan and check for new or suspicious apps to make sure your computer is clean.

7. No Symptoms At All

Unfortunately, some kinds of malware are very hard to identify on your device. A cybercriminal usually doesn't want their malware to be discovered by the victim, so work is put into making malicious programs and files as undetectable as possible.

On the other hand, the malware on your device may be causing very minor issues, such as long loading times every now and then, or the occasional crash. Such issues normally don't cause concern if they're infrequent enough, but can still be malware indicators.

This is why it's a good idea to have your antivirus program run daily scans of your device. Doing so will ensure that your data is being protected around the clock.

Malware Is Becoming an Increasing Issue

As the years pass, cybercrime through malware seems to be getting more and more common. Billions are at risk of having their digital privacy and security compromised, which is why it's so important to be aware of the malware warning signs. By keeping the list above in mind, you stand a better chance of stopping malware in its tracks.