What to do if your device is infected
Being mindful of malware and what it can do
Key points:
- Short for malicious software, criminals use malware to infect your device
- With malware, they can take control of your device, steal your details, and use your computer network to infect others
- Ransomware is a type of malware that locks your device until you pay the criminal to release it
- If your device is running slow, keeps crashing, or you’re getting endless pop-ups, it might be infected
- The National Cyber Crime Security Centre has advice on what to do if your device is infected
- If you think your device is infected with malware, report it to Report Fraud, your bank, or to us if you're an Aviva customer
What is malware and what harm can it do?
Malware can cause a whole lot of trouble if it finds its way on to your device. So it’s worth knowing how to tell if it’s lurking around — and how to put a stop to it doing damage.
Malware is short for malicious software. And it can infect, damage, or steal data. Criminals can use it to take control of your device, access your contact details or use your computer network (devices connected to your home broadband connection) to infect other people’s devices too. It’s nasty stuff.
Ransomware is a type of malware that can stop you accessing certain files on your computer. The cyber-criminal who sent you the malware might then contact you asking for payment — usually in some form of cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin. Only then will they claim to unlock it.
Making the payment doesn’t mean you’ll have access again. After all, you can never really trust a criminal. If you decide to pay, you’ll be handing money over to criminal organisations and you might be targeted again one day.
That’s why it’s really important to protect yourself from malware.
Report fraud
If you think your Aviva policy or investment has been targeted by a fraudster, you can contact us to look into it.
Signs your device is infected
It’s running slower than normal
Most malware runs tasks in the background that take up a lot of your device’s processing power. So if things start slowing down, there’s a chance you have malware.
It keeps crashing on you
Some malware will corrupt or delete files your device needs to run properly. So if your device suddenly starts crashing for no apparent reason, it might be infected.
Things aren’t working properly
Your device isn’t crashing, but things aren’t working like they should be. Some viruses will stop parts of your computer (like your mouse or keyboard) from running properly, or at all.
You're being flooded with pop-ups
Pop-ups can get on your nerves at the best of times. But if you notice you’re having to hit ‘X’ on a lot more of them than usual, there’s a chance malware’s at work.
How to fix the problem
Update, wipe, restore
The National Cyber Crime Security Centre recommends trying to update your device if you think malware’s made its way onto it. That way, you’ll have the latest security updates on there to protect you. Then, run a scan from your antivirus software and do what it says. If this doesn’t fix the issue, you may need to start from scratch, first by wiping everything off, including the operating system, and then reinstalling it all again.
Malware doesn’t just infect laptops and PCs - criminals can use it to attack your phone and tablet too.
Unfortunately, antivirus products don’t usually work in the same way on these devices. According to the National Cyber Crime Security Centre, your safest bet is to restore your phone or tablet to its factory settings. You’ll usually find this option in your device’s settings sectio .
If you’re having trouble with any of this, it may be worth getting expert help on what to do next.
Report it to the right people
If your device has malware on it, there’s a chance criminals can see everything that’s on it - your photos, passwords, messages, the sites you’re visiting, absolutely everything. And with this information, they could use your details to steal your data, access your bank accounts, even contact your financial services providers to do damage there too.
If you’ve been hit with a malware attack, you can report it to Report Fraud (try to do this from a different device to the one that’s infected). You should also let your bank know if you think your account details have been accessed.
And if you think your details for any Aviva investments, savings or insurance have been compromised, you can report it directly to us and we’ll look into it.
Related articles
More ways to protect your money
Making sure that you’re not a victim of fraud is one of our top priorities. It’s probably one of your top priorities too.
Read more tips and guides on how to keep your money secure on our fraud hub.