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Nine million infected as computer virus spreads

Close to nine million people are reported to have had their online security compromised by a computer virus that is spreading by exploiting loopholes in unpatched machines, it has emerged.

Microsoft Windows users are the main target of the internet security threat, which is also rapidly spreading across company computers with the help of USB sticks, according to Finland-based online security firm F-Secure.

"The number of Downadup infections are skyrocketing based on our calculations. From an estimated 2.4 million infected machines to over 8.9 million during the last four days. That's just amazing," said the company's security weblog.

Apart from USB sticks, the virus is also said to spread through networks with low or poor internet security as well as home computers whose online security has not been boosted with the latest patches.

"The gang behind this worm haven't used it yet," said the firm's chief research officer, Nikko Hypponen. "But they could do anything they like with any of these machines at any time."

Last week the UK Ministry of Defence revealed that it was fighting a computer virus, which had compromised its email and internet services.

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