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Knowledge Base

What is Malware?

Malware, or "malicious software," describes any software program designed to damage or do other unwanted actions to a computer system. Common examples of malware include viruses and worms, such as the Conficker Virus and the IE Zero Day Exploit virus.

How does OpenDNS help?

By default, OpenDNS blocks Internet-scale bots from resolving for all OpenDNS users and provides more comprehensive malware site protection for OpenDNS Enterprise users. This means even if the virus has penetrated machines on your network, it is rendered useless because it cannot connect back to the botnet.

How can I tell if my network is infected?

OpenDNS will display an infection warning when you log in to your account. You can also simply log in to your account and select Stats on the left sidebar. From there choose Blocked Domains and filter “only domains blocked as malware.” This will generate a list of malware sites your network has attempted to connect with.

Can you tell me which computer is infected?

Unfortunately, OpenDNS is only able to see the external IP from which your DNS requests are originating. We are unable to determine which computer tried to access the infected domain.

How can I remove malware?

We would suggest using a spyware removal program to address the malicious content infecting your computer. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to offer support for its removal, though there are plenty of tools online and Microsoft offers a Malicious Software Removal Tool which is free to download. Our friends at Kaspersky Labs also offer some helpful tools for removing malware infections.