Security Warnings for the HP DV6-1334US

• The HP DV6-1334US notebook computer features a dual-core Pentium processor, wireless LAN adapter, 250 GB hard drive and up to 8 GB of RAM. None of these features are of any comfort, however, when made to serve a computer virus, a Trojan horse or a data miner. Still, the HP DV6-1334US, like many PCs, experiences some tell-tale symptoms of a security breech.

Speed Reduction

• One of the first signs of a security breech in the mainframe of a DV6-1334US is a slowdown in general performance. This is noticeable when starting the computer, attempting to operate basic programs such as Internet Explorer, or when attempting to download from the Internet. Should you experience a disruption in the speed of the computer, run your installed anti-virus program. If no virus is located, the problem may be malware or spyware downloaded from a site. Spyware and malware can be downloaded to the computer without the owner's knowledge and create the same symptoms as a computer virus. Some spyware and malware are not recognized by anti-virus programs and require a special anti-spyware removal kit. Because the HP DV6-1334 US is a Windows computer, an anti-spyware kit can be downloaded at Microsoft.com.

Unwanted Additions

• Unwanted additions to your computer usually come in the way of pop-ups that appear whenever you open your Internet browser but can also come in the form of toolbars that appear on your browser or even changes to your basic Internet settings, such as your home page or browsing history. If you experience this symptom after downloading a song, picture or video file, these problems can represent anything from malware or spyware to a Trojan horse. In this case, run your anti-virus software and your anti-spyware program. If the problems persist, a clean re-install of the operating system may be required.

Loss of Mouse Control

• One of the most frightening symptoms of a security breech is the loss of mouse control, when your mouse looks as if it is being controlled by someone else. This is a sure sign of being hacked and almost always means your firewall has been disabled. Repair this problem by enabling your Windows firewall and then disconnecting your computer from the Internet and run the anti-virus software. As with a Trojan horse, a clean reformatting of your main drive may be the best way to ensure security is restored to your computer. If you believe the threat came from a suspicious website, use a proxy server when browsing to avoid future complications.