(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A computer virus attacking Microsoft Windows has infected almost nine million machines and is spreading faster than ever before. Experts say the worm has "skyrocketed" in recent days.

It is sweeping through thousands of offices in the UK and has affected computers at the Ministry of Defence.

The virus - known variously as Conficker, Kido or Downadup - burrows deep into the operating system and tricks the machine into running the infected program.

Once the worm is running on the computer it automatically starts to download more malicious programs from hackers' websites, with devastating effects.

The majority of computers infected by the worm, which was first identified in October, are in Russia, China, Brazil and India. But the virus is now taking hold in the UK.

The worm has password cracking capabilities, often successful because company passwords sometimes match a predefined password list that it carries.

Eddy Willems, a security analyst with anti-virus firm Kaspersky Labs, said that a new strain of the worm was now causing additional problems.

Computer users are advised to ensure their anti-virus software, operating system and firewall is up to date, and that they have installed a Microsoft patch designed to combat the problem.

Experts have also warned the virus could spread by copying itself to USB memory sticks shared between computers, and urged users to use caution.

does anyone have or know anymore info on this

Can you please post the source?

Sounds like a deadly virus but thank god it hasn't made its way into the U.S.... yet

Computer Worm Goes Out Of Control
Monday, January 19 04:36 pm

Sky News

"This virus is mainly affecting offices, who have not kept their software up to date," said Graham Cluley of computer security firm Sophos.

A virus which is spreading like topsy in the Windows world might be a dud.

The "Downadup" or "Conficker" virus theoretically makes users vulnerable to digital hijacking has been spreading through companies in the US, Europe and Asia. According to insecurity outfit F-Secure it is probably installed on nine million machines.

Finland-based F-Secure said the virus has gone through corporate networks incredibly fast, but the payload does not seem to be doing what the designers wanted.

Patrik Runald said the virus's coding suggests a type of bug that alerts computer users to bogus infections on their machines and offers to help by selling them antivirus software.

However the Ukraine gang behind this worm haven't used it yet and this has given everyone a chance to release updates to fix it. The downside is that the virus does disable Windows update manager, but most virus checkers should find it.

well theres the point yet..... just imagine what will happen if the whole world gets infected

I live in UK, come on McAfee you can save me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woah dude, I looked it up myself, this thing got 1.1 miilion computers in one day and took down 2000 of the Ministry of Health's computers for 15 days. This thing is dangerous, especially considering how much our World relies on technology, if it ever gets extremely bad, it could destroy every computer in the world(OK, maybe not that far, but it's bad.)

*cough* use Firefox. Seriously, IE had major vulnerabilities 78% of 2006.

That sounds so freaking weird... i hope that doesnt get worse, but ya as Rushie said IE sucks bir camel dick. I always get a virus from that....

i got a mac, i feel safe

Yeah I Just Noticed That.