Forex

A new virus termed Asprox is on the prowl. The virus automatically installs itself on a visitor's computer, allowing a hacker to access financial information.

Once installed on a personal computer, the Asprox virus allows a hacker to steal files, e-mails and passwords. It can also be used to infect other computers and even make attacks against companies and foreign governments.

Eastern European hackers are suspected of placing the Asprox virus on more than a thousand British websites, which including key government and consumer websites, in the past two weeks.

According to a report in The Times, using the virus, the hackers have been able to steal the personal details of anyone browsing the sites.

Experts described the Asprox virus as an alarming departure from commonplace viruses which tend to be spread through rogue e-mails and unregulated websites.

It is not known how many people are affected by the virus, but security experts estimate that it has spread to at least two million computers worldwide.

Detective Constable Bob Burls, of the Metropolitan Police computer crime unit, said that there had been a sudden rise in infection rates.

"The virus got into the job pages of a local council's Internet page," he said. "It's a new thing that people who visit mainstream websites are clobbered," he added.

Such incidents have only come to light after people have found money removed from their bank accounts or other personal data frauds.

Last week, Asprox infected the Norfolk NHS website, used by thousands of people a day.

Hackney Council's website was one of 12 local council websites also compromised, meaning that anyone logging on to pay a parking ticket or council tax was at risk over a three day period.