If your computer is covered in pop-ups, running slowly for no reason, or showing a warning telling you to ring a phone number — switch it off and bring it in.
We remove viruses, malware, ransomware, browser hijacks and the scam software that arrives with them. Then we do the part most people skip: work out how it got in, and close that door.
Warning signs worth acting on
- Pop-ups and warnings appearing over other windows, or when no browser is open
- A message claiming your computer is infected and giving a phone number to ring
- Your browser homepage or search engine changed without you doing it
- New toolbars, extensions or programs you didn’t install
- The machine running hot, slow or noisy when you’re not doing anything
- Files that won’t open, or have had their names or extensions changed
- Friends receiving emails or messages from you that you didn’t send
- Security software switched off, or unable to be switched back on
About those phone calls
The single most common way people lose money is a pop-up or a phone call claiming to be from Microsoft, Telstra, the ATO or your bank, saying your computer has a problem and asking for remote access.
No legitimate company will ever ring you unprompted about a virus on your computer. If someone already has remote access, turn the computer off and ring us. If you’ve given out card or banking details, contact your bank immediately, then bring the machine in — it needs to be checked properly before it’s used again.
What we do
Clean it out. A full scan and manual removal of infections, unwanted programs, browser hijacks and the scam software that came bundled along.
Check what it touched. Malware often installs more malware and leaves back doors open. We check start-up entries, scheduled tasks, browser extensions and network settings.
Check your data. If it’s ransomware, files may be encrypted. We’ll tell you honestly what’s recoverable and what isn’t, and look at your backups before anything else.
Lock it down. Security software installed and configured properly, updates applied, and the vulnerability that let it in closed.
Show you what happened. Most infections arrive through a click. We’ll show you what to watch for, without making you feel silly about it — this happens to careful people every day.
Ransomware
Ransomware encrypts your files and demands payment. If it’s hit a business, stop using the affected machines and ring us straight away — spreading across a network is the difference between one machine and all of them.
Paying is not a solution, and there’s no guarantee of getting anything back. What actually works is a backup that has been tested. If you’re a business without one, that’s the conversation to have with us this week rather than next year.
Frequently asked
Will I lose my files?
Usually not. Most infections don’t destroy data. Ransomware is the exception, and we’ll assess that honestly rather than promising something we can’t deliver.
Can't I just run a free scanner?
Sometimes that’s enough. Often it removes the visible symptom and leaves the actual infection behind. If it comes back, it was never gone.
Should I just reinstall Windows?
Occasionally it’s the fastest, cleanest option — and we’ll say so if it is. But it should be a decision, not a default, and your data comes off first.
I think I gave someone remote access. What now?
Turn the computer off, ring your bank if any financial details were involved, then ring us.