What Is Win32 Adware?

By Kara Riccitelli

The Win32 trojan horse virus may be annoying, but it will not destroy your computer.
i computer image by blaine stiger from Fotolia.com

Most computer owners will have the unfortunate experience of dealing with a computer virus at some point. Many viruses can completely wipe out a computer's hard drive. Some are simply an annoyance to get rid of, but won't actually harm your machine. Win32 Adware can be frustrating, but can be removed.

What It Is

The Win32 Adware virus, also known as Win32/adware.virtumonde virus, although irritating and somewhat tedious to remove, is not typically harmful to your computer system. The virus usually enters the computer through the Java application and attaches itself by way of dynamic-link library files or browser helper objects.

How to Tell if You Have It

Symptoms of the Win32 Adware include a sudden onslaught of pop-up advertisements. These pop-ups usually alert you that your computer system is compromised and will offer to detect the threats or viruses and remove them. If the pop-ups prompt you to download or purchase additional programs, do not do it. This is the trademark of this kind of virus. Pop-ups may also appear upon Windows start-up with messages relating to DLL files. This is another telltale sign of the Win32 virus.

How to Remove It

Running an anti-virus program should help locate and eliminate this virus. Free anti-virus programs include AVG, Avast! or Avira AntiVir. Simply download the program and restart your computer in Safe Mode. Allow the program to scan your system and remove all infections and potential threats. In addition, activate your Windows Automatic Updates to keep your computer current. Consider investing in a good anti-virus program for your piece of mind.

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