Is your computer sick?

Sure it’s not crashing and it’s not giving you those dreaded error messages, but that doesn’t mean your computer’s not infected with a virus. It could be operating behind the scenes while you go about your business with you being none the wiser. So what does this have to do with identity theft? Plenty. Truth is, a lot of these viruses do more than just see what sites you visit to send you targeted advertising. Many do much more, such as taking screen shots as you type in passwords or recording your online banking activity. Then, you guessed it; this information is picked up by identity thieves.

So how do these viruses and other types of malware end up on your machine? It’s often via a plug-in people download voluntary. It can come in an email that claims to have a video or other media file that requires said plug-in to view it. Often the plug-in will contain a media player but carry the virus right along with it. Once the virus meets the hard drive, it is ready to go without any formal announcement of its presence.

This type of identity theft happens fairly often although it is not heavily covered in the media as of yet. A representative of Panda Security recently told IDG News Service that it could be on 10 million PCs right now, judging by a sampling of Americans. What is even more sobering is its report that 35 percent of the “carrier computers” had current antivirus programs installed.

So what does this mean to you? First of all, you can’t be sure your machine is safe just because you have security software. Sure, it does help prevent most common viruses from getting their fingers on your C drive. However, since new malware is created every day, thieves often are able to stay ahead of the curve, even with frequent updates to the software. The second thing to take away is don’t install random programs. If you don’t know what it is and you don’t trust where it’s from, just don’t do it. If you don’t get to see that video of a dancing hamster, trust me; you’ll live.

Lastly, this should give you a hint that you may want to look into an identity theft protection plan. Even being diligent about your downloads won’t necessarily save you, especially if you share your computer, or network, with others. It’s better to have a multi-tiered plan that is sure to keep you safe. A protection plan can keep an eye on your credit so you know right away if thieves have somehow gotten a hold of your data and are ready to start a new life, as you. It’s a lot better than finding out a year later and then realizing there’s a virus on your machine that has been feeding them names, numbers and addresses that whole time, not just for you but for everyone in your address book.

Panda found that their detection of identity-theft related malware went up 800 percent in the second half of 2008. This shows that these type of viruses are definitely a growing trend and not something you should approach empty handed.