How to Remove Polymorphic Virus

File infector viruses are types of viruses that infect and corrupt the files of a computer system. It attaches itself to documents, applications, and programs before spreading from there. Polymorphic virus is a type of such file infector viruses. 

What is a Polymorphic Virus? 

A Polymorphic virus is one of the most challenging viruses to encounter. Most viruses create exact duplicates of themselves while infecting. However, they are capable of replicating modified versions of themselves. 

These modified versions are almost always undetected by antivirus programs. Once a Polymorphic virus is flagged, it will change its source code entirely. This makes it more difficult to detect and remove these viruses. 

The Polymorphic virus will contaminate the files and folders of a system and slow down your computer. It will encrypt, modify or simply delete the files. 

How to Check if you’re Infected with the Polymorphic Virus? 

Your computer will show the same symptoms when infected with any other viruses. You can check for the following symptoms to determine if you’re infected with a Polymorphic virus or not. 

• Unexpected error messages appear out of nowhere
• Random programs launch on their own 
• Continuous firewall warning about an application that is trying to connect to your system 
• Unwanted notifications or malicious messages 
• Computer slows down or even freezes  
• Files and folders changed or missing 
• Unable to boot computer due to corrupted system files

Another way to check if you’re infected is by using the Windows Event Viewer. Just follow the given steps to check if you have a Polymorphic virus. 

1. Click on the Start button. Type ‘event’ and select the Event Viewer. 
2. Here, you can view the system and applications log. 
3. You can find all the information regarding changes made in files and folders. 

How to Remove Polymorphic Virus 

Polymorphic virus may be advanced, but there are ways to remove it from your system. The most common way to combat the virus is by performing a system restore. 

You can try these solutions to remove Polymorphic virus from your computer. 

Solution 1 – Scan your System 

The antivirus database is regularly updated with all the latest information on viruses and malicious programs. Whenever a Polymorphic virus gets flagged, it gets updated in this database. 

Hence, you should use a properly licensed antivirus to make sure that your computer does not get infected. You need to run a full system scan if you think you have a Polymorphic virus. 

The antivirus will automatically scan for potential threats and remove them from your PC. 

Solution 2 – Scan Windows Registry 

A Polymorphic virus has the ability to infect the Windows Registry as well. The whole Operating System could crash if the Windows registry files are corrupted. 

Some antivirus programs come with a Windows Registry Fixer Tool. This tool can easily scan the Windows registry for possible faults and automatically fix them. There are many registry fixer tools available on the Internet. 

Solution 3 – Use System File Checker 

Microsoft’s System File Checker can scan and fix corrupted system files. It will help to ensure that your operating system doesn’t crash due to the Polymorphic virus. 

You can use the System File Checker by following the given instructions. 

1. Restart your PC and press the relevant function key to open up the Troubleshoot menu. 
2. The function key differs with different computer systems. The most common function keys are F1, F2, and F8. Select Advanced Options after the Troubleshoot menu comes up. 
3. Click on Startup Repair and choose ‘Safe Mode with Command Prompt’
4. Type ‘sfc /scannow’ in the window and press enter. 
5. It will take several minutes for scanning and repairing. 
6. Wait for the command to complete its execution.
7. Close and Restart your system.  

Solution 4 – Use Windows Security Scanner 

The latest version of Windows has its own Security tool to scan for possible spyware and malware. This tool will automatically detect any viruses and promptly remove it from your system. 

The Windows Security Scanner is significantly different from the Windows Defender. You can use the security scanner by following the steps mentioned below. 

1. Click on the Start button. Type ‘spyware’ in the search box and click on the ‘Scan for Spyware’ option. 
2. If a prompt appears, just click on Yes. This will activate the scanner.
3. Afterward, scan your system by following the instructions. 

The scanner will automatically detect and remove any malware from your computer system.

Solution 5 – System Restore 

If you think that the above solutions won’t work for you, then you can perform a system restore. A Polymorphic virus can easily be removed through this method. 

Follow these steps to perform a system restore on your system. 

1. Restart your PC and keep pressing the relevant function key to reach the boot menu. F1, F2, and F8 are the most common function keys. This is usually different for every computer system. 
2. Click on Advanced Options after the Troubleshoot menu comes up. 
3. Now, go to Startup Settings and select System Restore. 
4. A small window will appear. Just follow the instructions displayed. 
5. Next, choose a restore point before your PC was infected with the Polymorphic virus. You will know the exact date if you had gone through the event viewer. Otherwise, choose the point that you think is best. 
6. Click on Next. 

This process will take several minutes. You can recover the lost files and folders after restarting your system. 

Conclusion 

System restore is the most effective way to remove a Polymorphic virus from your PC. Make sure to regularly update your Windows and Antivirus to the latest version. This is important because the Polymorphic virus’s code is always changing. 

An updated antivirus database can flag the latest viruses. It will protect your files and folders from infection. Activating your Firewall is another way to make your system secure.