Customers of Barclays Bank are to get free anti-virus software.

The bank has signed a deal with Finnish security software company F-Secure to provide its software to all of the bank's online banking customers.

The move to supply bank customers with software free-of-charge has been on the cards for some time, as banks attempt to limit their own losses repaying victims of online fraud. Barclays is also offering customers free text message alerts when new payments are set up on their accounts.

Barnaby Davis, director of electronic banking for Barclays, said: "Because online banking is so secure fraudsters have turned their attention to customers and target them to get details for their accounts. Our new initiatives will go a long way towards offering customers additional protection and peace of mind."

Customers can download a three-month trial of the F-Secure now from the bank's website, while it writes to all active customers of its banking service offering them the full version of the software.

The company says it will take up to two months for all users to receive the letter, which contains a voucher code for the software. Updates will be available each year to current Barclays customers.