There is a lot of talk about surveillance attempts on digital data these days, which actually reinforces the need to adopt countermeasures. Such surveillance takes place mainly through spyware installed on your computer. These programs can virtually compromise the privacy and safety of your computer over a network. Shockingly, you might be unaware that such programs are present in your computer.

It increases the chances that you are monitored, which is a dangerous scenario particularly if you store any private files on your computer. You can look for symptoms like the appearance of too many popup windows, constant redirecting to other websites, change in browser homepage, etc., to conclude that your PC is infected with spyware. If you find any such symptoms, follow the steps below to secure the privacy of your computer.

Carry out a Malware Scan

One of the first steps to deal with a spyware or privacy intrusion issue on your computer is to scan for malware. For this purpose, it is recommended that you use a highly rated anti-malware program. They contain updated databases that can detect any of the malware present on your computer. Additionally, rather than carrying out a normal scan, it is best to do a full scan since it increases the chance of detection if there is any malware.

Clean or Repair the OS

In most cases, the safety of your computer may be compromised not because of spyware, but because of other technical bugs in the operating system of the computer. In such a case, it is better to clean or repair the OS or re-install it. By doing a clean install, the entire operating system and its data will be wiped clean, which will restore the OS to its original state. However, you might need to take a backup of the important data saved on the computer before re-installing the operating system.

Reset the Wireless Router

Another common pathway that most surveillance attempts take place on your computer is through the wireless router. It is one of the easiest ways to intrude into your network and thus access the files stored in your computer. You can secure the router to prevent any such surveillance attempts by activating Firewall on the router. However, before you do that, reset your router, which will clear all the settings and configurations. You can then set it up again and include a strong password for accessing your router.