Malware is a blend of two words: malicious and software. It is software specifically designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without your knowledge or consent. It is commonly referred to as a computer virus because it contaminates your computer with programs that come in many different forms such as dishonest adware, Trojan horses, spyware, worms, viruses and crimeware. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn… the list of social media sites people use almost daily seems to grow exponentially. Although these places may be bastions of free speech, collaborative thought and great destinations to mix and mingle with friends and family, they’re also hotspots where malware threats spread like wildfire. Many of these social media sites are, of course, working diligently to stop malware threats before they’re launched, but viruses and spyware are often put into cyberspace and start attacking users’ computers before these sites ever even know they exist. Malware scanners and anti-malware softwares are the must-have application to protect your computer from programs, malicious enough to damage your PC. Some of the Malware include Trojan horse, spyware, keyloggers, rootkits, hijackers, adware. Email relays, spam proxies, spam relays, scam downloads, bots are perhaps the greatest security threat to computer networks in existence. If you suspect your computer is infected with malware, immediately stop all your shopping, banking and other online activities that involve user names, passwords and other sensitive personal information and run a complete scan on your computer. Back up important files and encrypt personal information. Choose passwords easy enough for you to remember that can’t be easily figured out by other people. Change your passwords frequently. Be careful with attachments and links This is crucial if the e-mail is from an unknown sender, as this is how a lot of malware is circulated throughout the Web. Don’t open files, and don’t click on links if you don’t know who they’re fromperiod. Experts also suggest using caution even if you know the person who sent you the e-mail. Check with your friend or family member to make sure they actually sent an attachment.