The Internet is expanding quickly. Since the end of 2000 the number of users on the internet has grown from 360 million to over 1,700 million - that's an increase of 380%! People are moving more of their lives online - shopping at online supermarkets, socialising on Facebook, buying music from iTunes and other music stores, and handling their money at PayPal and online banks.

Things are easier online - comparison sites take the legwork out of shopping around, supermarkets deliver groceries fresh to your door, and online media such as mp3s and streaming video saves space in your home that might be dedicated to racks of CDs and DVDs. All this convenience comes at a price however - the World Wide Web can be a dangerous place for those caught unprotected.

The threats that live on the internet hold many people back from enjoying its full potential, but there is little to be afraid of if you know what to keep an eye out for. Read on for part one of our three part series of the things you should know to stay safe online:

Malware

Malicious Software (or Malware for short) comes in several different forms. The most common are Spyware, Adware, and Viruses.

Spyware is software that installs on your computer (sometimes, but not always, without your knowledge) and sends information out to whoever designed the software. This can be a "keylogger" which records every keystroke you make, revealing passwords, credit card details, and other personal information; a program which sends shady marketing researchers information on the websites you visit; or even an application which will send your documents and files out to the programmer.

Adware pops up advertisements for products on your screen. These can be genuine adverts for real products or fraudulent alerts that strongarm you into buying a fake antivirus product, for example. Sometimes these run inside your browser (especially Internet Explorer) but often they install directly into Windows, popping up whether you're on the internet or not.

Viruses themselves come in all shapes and sizes - most commonly trojans and worms among others. Trojans allow hackers access to your computer without your permission. Worms most often send themselves out as emails, usually to the people in your address book. Once infected, you risk someone else gaining access to your personal data, or even losing it altogether.

There are four things to bear in mind when it comes to staying safe from Malware:

• Most software that seems too good to be free, is. Unless you're getting software from a reliable source (such as Google or Adobe), think twice. Especially common malware vehicles are Weather Checkers, Smiley Toolbars, and downloadable online games.
• Some malware will arrive by email. You should never open a file attached to an email unless you were expecting it. If somebody sends you a file you're not expecting, it's best to give them a call and check they really sent it to you.
• You should never go online without an AntiVirus program on your computer. There are several to choose from, and not much to choose between the more popular ones besides price. If you don't have one, it will cost you a lot more in the long run!
• AntiVirus software does not usually detect Spyware and Adware. For comprehensive protection, you should periodically run a dedicated Spyware/Adware scan such as SpyBot Search and Destroy, which is completely free to use.

In the next instalment, we'll be shedding some light on Scamming and Phishing, and how to outsmart the online con men.

If you're concerned about online security for you or your business, we can help!

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