The idea of being able to play games with someone on the other side of the world used to be in the realm of fantasy, but today it’s just normal. You can play with anyone, anywhere, and all you need to do is be online.

It’s easy to forget though, that you’re constantly opening your computer up to new risks, every time you’re online gaming, and indeed every time you’re online, unless you have good antivirus software programme installed. And it’s not just the computer itself that’s vulnerable, it’s the wealth of personal information you have stored on there.

If left unprotected, viruses can infiltrate your computer and lift personal information, bank account details – you name it, there’s a virus designed to get it.

Even if you’ve built up a relationship with a fellow gamer online, be very wary of any emails they send through with attachments, or of any attachments that pop up on instant messaging sites. These may appear to be game files, but could have malware hidden within.

Also beware anyone on gaming chat rooms who encourages you to visit certain websites – these are often bogus and just provide a link for malicious software to be installed on your computer.

There is a great range of antivirus programmes available to download, or buy in-store. You can also get free antivirus downloads, and just because they’re free it doesn’t mean they aren’t any good. Check with friends and family and find out which seems the most popular or reliable programme. Once you’ve got a consensus, then try out the free version of that brand, and test it for a couple of weeks.

Some internet security programmes can seem to slow down the PC, and if this is the case, you need to uninstall before installing a different programme. Once you’ve got your PC security sorted out, you can get back to enjoying gaming!