The term 'malware' is often confused. This is because commonly-used jargon describes specific types of malware, such as viruses, trojans and spyware, which are all forms of malicious code.

But while the terminology might be confusing, viruses are easy to prevent. It’s useful to understand what they are and what to do about them, but it’s also equally important to leave it to professional anti-malware providers to protect your devices.

How do they get into your computer?

Many viruses commonly get into your computer through attachments and downloads. For example, if you receive a suspicious email, or one from someone you don’t know, downloading an attachment could bring in a virus.

It’s important to protect your emails and use a provider that flags suspicious senders. If in doubt, don’t open the message.

What if I don’t use Windows?

While it would certainly make sense for virus coders to target commonly-used operating systems, every device is susceptible to downloading a virus. It is not a good idea to rely on an unusual operating system to protect you from cyber-crime – everyone and anyone could be a victim of it.

What are the different types?

Malware is essentially an umbrella term for different types of malicious software (hence its name.) The different types have different functions. There are many different varieties of malware, but below are some of the most common:

·         Virus: this is much like a human virus. Once it attaches itself through a downloaded file, it will then spread to the rest of the computer. You might be surprised to know that some of these are relatively harmless, while others could eat away or change your data.

·         Worms: this type of malware looks for connections between different computers. The aim of this is to infiltrate the entire network. If you noticed that the entire network of your computer systems is running slowly, this could be it.

·         Trojan: as the name implies, this malware binds itself to a much bigger file, such as an online computer game. It will attach itself to what seems like relatively unimportant files, such as a jpeg.

Protect yourself

The important thing to understand about malware is that life is much easier if you take preventative measures. Instead of constantly second-guessing which websites are harmful and which pop-ups are harmless, it’s far easier to install anti-virus and security software.

Cyber-security providers carry all the expertise you need when it comes to keeping your computer safe. Comprehensive packages such as endpoint security antivirus will approach your security from multiple angles – so you don’t have to worry about any blind spots.

It’s always sensible to get a good knowledge of malware and how it operates. After all, this might stop you from downloading a dodgy computer game or opening a suspicious download.

When it comes to resolving any issues they may create, anti-virus software will do the heavy-lifting for you.

Cyber-security software will help to prevent your data from being stolen and clear up and viruses that may have attached themselves to your files.