Cyber fraud is on the rise. In fact, these days you're far more likely to be robbed online than mugged in the street. Legions of remote scammers and hackers worldwide are using ever more sophisticated malware and other devious tricks to relieve individuals and companies of their money and confidential data. To help keep you up to speed with the threats out there, we take a look at this year's most notorious malware attacks, and more.

This year's most devastating malware attack, the WannaCry ransomware cryptoworm infected more than 200,000 computers in over 150 countries back in May. An innocuous-looking email zip attachment harbours the so-called 'cyptoworm'. Unwitting PC users who open the attachment find much of their data encrypted by hackers, who then demand money.

The cryptoworm was a major problem for the UK's NHS, America's FedEx and Germany's rail system in particular, and the attack had an impact on the services these organisations provide. This sort of malware can only infect out-of-date Windows devices, so the best defence is to make sure all your Windows applications are fully updated and protected.

The number of so-called business email compromise (BEC) scams is increasing this year, according to the experts. This is one to watch out for when you're at work. A type of what's known as 'spear phishing', the fraudster will impersonate a senior member of staff and attempt to get you to divulge confidential company information or wire them money.

The attackers can even gain access to vulnerable computer systems and essentially hack into the email system. To lessen the chances of an attack, it's a good idea to make sure all systems are patched and up to date and, as an employee, be cautious of any emails that appear suspicious and include an unexpected demand for money or confidential information.

Binary options are a form of betting that involves a simple yes or no outcome. If the result is a 'yes', the investor enjoys a return on their investment – they lose their money if the outcome is a 'no'. This type of investment is ripe for scamming and there are countless dubious binary options internet platforms out there, particularly in Europe.

Victims, who find it hard to resist the incredible returns, are usually enticed via social media, and end up losing their money when the scamming agent or company refuses to pay up. The best way to protect yourself is to make sure the platform you use is regulated by the relevant gambling regulatory or government authority.

The Dridex banking trojan has been around for a couple of years now but it continues to infect computers, mainly in the UK and US. The trojan, which gathers sensitive financial information for fraudulent purposes, conceals itself in a seemingly harmless Word or Excel attachment which, when downloaded, activates a macro to infect the system.

This trojan targets individuals and businesses alike – and the attachments are getting more sophisticated, with some being sent as scanned documents from office printers and copiers. You know the drill, always think twice about opening or downloading anything you're not 100% sure about.

If you have an email account, you've no doubt received questionable Apple emails asking for your personal info that may or may not have ended up in your spam or junk mail folder. In fact, recent research has shown that one in four phishing emails target Apple IDs. Luckily, it's fairly easy to spot an Apple phishing email.

Firstly, Apple never asks for personal info over an email, so that is caveat number one. Next, check the email address. If it's a dodgy variant of the official address, you know it's fake. Lastly, take a look at the spelling and grammar – scam emails tend to be poorly written and full of spelling mistakes.

Phishing emails that purport to be from student loans companies are increasingly targeting graduates. The emails imitate the font and writing style of the relevant loans company and tend to include a request for personal information or money.

As is the case with fake Apple phishing emails, there tends to be plenty of red flags to look out for. The email address will be suspicious, the grammar and spelling are likely to be poor and the logo or imagery may be off. If you come across a scam online, do report it if you can to your local trading standards office or cyber crime unit.