Whether it's strep throat or cyber malware such as worms, one thing is certain: viruses are no fun.

Anyone who's gone through owning a computer when a virus strikes knows that it's a scary reality, involving virus removal and scrambling to make sure your programs are backed up. A new computer virus known as Duqu surfaced last week in Iran, and is now reported to have affected a small number of computers in Europe, Sudan and the United States, as well.

Getting its name from the body of the file itself – "DQ" always appears in the prefix – Duqu is a "Trojan Horse" type of virus, which means that it disguises itself as a harmless file but is in fact a very destructive program. A Trojan Horse is typically also unable to replicate itself. With Duqu however, the virus is designed to steal secrets and information from an individual computer.

This particular virus is targeted toward computers with access to industry-controlled systems, so chances are, your personal computer will not be a target.

As of now, the hacker's identities are still unknown, but their degree of skill leaves many thinking that they must be backed financially by an organization, or even a government.

"It's a very complex piece of software," said Marty Edwards, director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team in an interview with Reuters.

If your computer is running slowly, opening unfamiliar programs on your browser or if it's just overall acting strangely, seek outside help immediately. Don't hesitate to contact your local Maryland virus removal service for help, questions and concerns.