Different virus programs will infiltrate your computer in different ways. All have their own unique set of features and threats making protecting against them difficult and confusing. Malware is divided into these basic categories: email viruses, worms, and Trojan horses.

Trojan horses do not reproduce but open up your computer to other types of intrusions. This type of malware allows other programs access to open and read the files on your computer. This is why this type of malware is very dangerous to your privacy and security. Experts recommend not downloading software that you do not know exactly what it will do or where it is coming from.

A worm is malware that self replicates. They utilize networks to send out copies to other computers on the network. No user intervention is necessary to spread worms. Security holes are what allow a worm to target a particular computer. Worms can cause damage to both the individual PC and the computer network.

A computer virus is software that is able to copy itself to infect computers. They can spread from computer to computer and even execute code. They can easily spread on a network infecting file systems and files when other computers access the infected system.

You can opt to work with a computer consultant to help you if you believe your system has been infected with any of these types of malware. Once you have the tools and the knowledge you should be able to maintain a safe system environment protecting yourself and the networks you connect to.