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One of the current biggest threats to computer users today is called malware. Malware is software which hides itself onto your PC and does its malicious work while you are working obliviously at your PC. It can hijack your computer, redirect you to other webpages, serve you pop up ads, collect and send information stored on your PC like your online banking passwords.

There are several ways to get infected with malware. You can get infected by installing programs which are bundled with malware. A good example are file sharing programs also known as peer-to-peer file sharing programs. Also you can get infected by visiting certain websites. Usually the program poses as a legitimate program you need to install to view the webpage. Another way to get infected is visiting websites which take advantage of "security holes" in your browser. So it's very important to run the latest security updates of your operating system.

What can happen to you and your PC when you are infected with malware?

The people who receive the information send by the program could steal information stored on your PC or entered by you at your keyboard. They could withdraw money from your online bank account. Another use for information theft is to impersonate you with false documents and get a loan or buy a new car in your name.
You might even get in to trouble with the law as they attack servers from PC. Another common use for malware is by using the infected PC's for sending spam. People could get spam originating from your PC.

How can you detect that you are infected with malware?

The easiest way to detect and remove these programs is by using malware removers. These malware removers can scan your PC for the latest malware programs. Other signs of infection could be a slow internet connection with the internet, high loads and thrashing of the harddrive. Even if you find the malware it will be hard to delete because some of these programs can replicate themselves.

How can you protect your PC from these programs?

Regularly update your Windows via the windows update website or automatically via windows update! Always be wary of websites demanding you to have to install programs to use their website. Use special malware removers / scanners to scan your system for malware, spyware and adware.

Scan your PC today to prevent being infected by malware. Most software vendors offer a free software trial version. It will usually perform a full system scan and remove some of the problems. If you like the software you can buy it later through their website.