What is a common symptom of malware infection?

A common symptom of malware infection is indeed slow system performance and unexpected behavior. This occurs because malware often consumes system resources, such as CPU and memory, as it runs in the background, which can lead to overall sluggishness. Additionally, malware may interfere with normal operations, causing applications to crash, system freezes, or erratic behavior.

The unexpected behavior could include programs starting and closing unexpectedly, unauthorized access to files, changes to system settings, or other strange occurrences that were not present before the infection. Users might also notice suspicious pop-ups or advertisements, which are often indicative of adware or other malicious software.

In contrast, symptoms like improved system performance, automatic software updates, or enhanced security features would generally suggest that a system is functioning optimally and is well-maintained. These conditions are not typical indicators of malware presence, as malware usually degrades system performance rather than improving it.