10 tell-tale signs your PC is infected

You’re running reputable anti-virus software and you’re careful not to open suspect Facebook links, but your PC is still acting strange. Maybe a virus has slipped through the cracks?

Antivirus company Panda Security has released a list of 10 signs your PC could be infected.  The company said in a media release today that knowing the most common symptoms of infection is was vital, even if many modern threats were hard to detect. If you’re PC is exhibiting any of the following symptoms or you have the slightest suspicion you are infected, PandaLabs suggests getting your computer checked by a technician or installing an alternative antivirus suite.

Panda Security's top 10 symptoms of PC infection:

1. My computer speaks to me
If you are receiving all types of pop-ups and messages on the desktop advertising things or saying your PC is infected and needs protection, your PC needs immediate medical help. There is either spyware on the computer or it has been infected by a fake antivirus (also called rogueware).

2. My computer is running extremely slowly
This could be a symptom of many things, including infection by a virus. If it has been infected by a virus, worm or Trojan, they could be running tasks that consume a lot of resources, making the system run more slowly than usual.

3. Applications won't start
How many times have you tried to run an application from the start menu or desktop and nothing happens? Sometimes another program might even run instead. As in the previous case, this could be another type of problem, but at the very least it's a symptom that tells you that something is wrong.

4. I cannot connect to the internet or it runs very slowly
Loss of Internet communication is a common symptom of infection, although it could also be due to a problem with your service provider or router. If you have been infected, the malware could be connecting to a URL or opening separate connection sessions, thereby reducing your available bandwidth or making it practically impossible to use the internet.