Bangalore: Consumers will spend $22 billion on checking malware attacks this year, while companies will invest a whopping $114 billion in dealing with such malicious software, a study has said.

According to the study conducted by market research group IDC and commissioned by Microsoft Corporation, the chances of infection by unexpected malware are one in three for consumers and three in 10 for businesses.

Malwares or malicious software are intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems.

"Consumers will spend 1.5 billion hours and $22 billion identifying, repairing and recovering from the impact of malware, while global enterprises will spend $114 billion to deal with the impact of a malware induced cyber attack," Microsoft India said in a release.

Although some computer users may actively seek pirated software in hopes of saving money, the chances of infection by unexpected malware are one in three for consumers and three in 10 for businesses, it added.

"Software is pirated in order to save money, however, the reality is that with pirated and counterfeit software, the user ends up paying for malware, Trojan, adware and other harmful viruses," Microsoft India Director (Genuine Software Initiative) Sumeet Khanna said.

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