This only affects the kind of people who use Microsoft products. You get what you pay for...

Alastair, Alicante, Spain

"After reporting the theft he installed an anti-virus system"

That's like putting on a condom after the girls pregnant - some people really didn't ought to be let out on their own!

Homer, London,

A precaution is to not use your computer on the internet when logged on as an administrator. An account that has the minimum rights will not be allowed to install programs, even if you try and do it legitamately. This should make it more difficult for viruses. I use Kaspersky, easy and very good.

Jack Sprat, Bristol, UK

"Any computer without up-to-date anti-virus software is vulnerable."

This is completely untrue. Any Apple computer is safe. Any Linux computer is safe. Only computers running a version of Microsoft Windows are at risk. This isn't a computer virus, it's a Microsoft Windows virus - yet again.

Denny, London, England

It is not just AV software you need. If you have broadband a firewall is imperative. If you have a good firewall it is diffcult to see how the details will get back to the hackers as the firewall should prevent this.

Roger Tilbury, Worthing,

What a scary article... Unluckily there is nothing that can be installed automatically without any antivirus noticing!
Only a few very unlucky users will get infected before their Antivirus is updated with the new information!
And If somebody has no antivirus... well guess who is to blame?

Ivan, Newcastle,

Yet another reason to buy a Mac!

billy Bop, london, uk

We can only thank our lucky stars that these anti-virus companies are protecting us. Imagine the situation if a rogue company actually started inventing these viruses so that we had to use their products. Thank God the security industry has such integrity.

kerry livermore, London, England

Some of those people that install 'protection' also burgle your
information as there is more profit in burglary than protection!
BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT INFORMATION IS GIVEN WHEN BUYING!

Derek Clifton, Andover, Hampshire, England

You wrote:
"Any computer without up-to-date anti-virus software is vulnerable. "
But the Symantec Centre says:
"Systems Affected: Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP"
So presumably Linux and OS X users will not be affected...

S C Cheese, Garsington, Oxfordshire

Sally
I found Microsoft Onecare excellent. will remove almost every malware from your computer. It can be downloaded from microsoft website and yearly subscription is £37.99. But first three month trial is FREE. Try this

Tufail, Birmingham, UK

Hack into anything you like, cause huge amounts of damage - slap on the wrist.

Make a harmless mistake in your car - £120 fine. Court action. Threatening letters. Hassle. Stress. Hatred.

Yeah, I'd say the UK is pretty well-balanced...

william tapley, London, uk

No need to worry about this - With government employees losing a laptop a day full of our data, any hacker that wants your credit card details has already got them.

Mikey, Bromley, Kent

Yes Craig you are right.

Sally, you can use any Anti-Virus as long as it is up to date and you do not install lots of silly gimmicks on your PC.

I personally think ESET (http://eset.co.uk/solutions/home_office.php) is very good.

Thanks

Rahul Kapoor, Weybridge, England

As long as the IT world clings to the obsolete and ugly 'C' language and it's offspring we will have to suffer infections. Even secure modern languages like Java can be attacked via the native C code that they rely on. Windows, MacOS and Linux are all reliant on C code, and are all infectable.

Tony Butler, London,

also known as "proxy-agent.af" virus to McAfee Customers.

Keep your antivirus up to date and your system patched.

Da, UK,

I used Norton anti-virus, for which I was paying, but still got viruses. After reading an article about free anti-virus I tried the two market leaders, AVG and Avast. I found Avast the simpler to use and lightning fast at uploading virus definitions. I haven't had a virus for five years.

Robert Good, Freetown, Sierra Leone

The main problem I had is I wanted to buy new anti malware software, but if your computer is infected....how can you buy the software without inputting your CCard details ?! I ended up going to download dot com and getting Spy Catcher for free and Windows Defender. Now all good. Defender got 'em !

Tim, Luzern, Switzerland

"this virus only affects those still using ms windows - pcooke, Gloucester"

Not many of them around then huh?

It takes less time for the Mac and Linux "smug brigades" to respond to these articles than it does for an unprotected PC to get infected

Homer, London,

Asprox uses a simple SQL injection attack. Web-sites vulnerable to this should be named and shamed, as they are clearly written and maintained by idiots - SQL injection is an obvious and easily-fixed vulerability.

Cronan, London, UK

Could some one explain how the virus is infecting the computers of people who are just visiting these compromised websites.

How is this possible?

A Hariis, Kettering, UK

We regularly update virus protection -I'm now looking to see if Asprox is covered by our checker. After all software is not sold with a list of the malware it does NOT detect! But shouldn't the websites be better protected?

Diana, Derby, uk

this virus only affects those still using ms windows...

pcooke, Gloucester,

For safety, use Linux instead of Windows perhaps.

David, Milton Keynes, England

Hacking is economic terroism. A public flogging prior to being hung drawn and quartered should deter these idiots.

Will, Lincoln, UK

Norton has been protecting subscribers against Asprox since the 8th of June. Whatever antivirus software you use, make sure it's up-to-date! (BTW I'm employed by Symantec).

Niall MacLeod, Reading,

"Having an internet-facing computer without an up-to-date anti-virus system is idiotic. These same people are also those most likely to be infected with a spam sending virus."

Sounds from the description like it's a problem with the host server rather than the client machine.

Di Panna, Bedford,

Use Firefox instead of Microsoft's Internet explorer, block pop-ups, download AVG Free anti-virus software if you can't afford to buy some, never open unsolicited email attachments unless you know who has sent them. Simple precautions which have no financial cost.

Margin Walker, UK,

This isn't about the viruses on a consumers PC - it's how do they get onto the Websites in the 1st place. Someone in their development community must either not be following standards (Quality Control) or be malicious.

Just my thoughts....

Richard, Edenbridge,

George, I think you may be surfing in the calm before the storm. Apple has largely avoided the virus problems because it has been a fairly small user base. But sales success means it will attract more attention - now might be a good time to think about virus protection.

Chris, London, UK

"Get a Mac! I have no virus software and have never had a problem. Macs seem more expensive but ...they are as cheap as PC's when you add in ..
george, london"

And for a cheaper solution, GET LINUX!

It's open source, a perfect desktop solution, and free to download. No cost, no problems!

Dodgy Geezer, Gloucester, UK

Bring on ID cards. How long before all our details, conveniently stored on one site are stolen.

alistair stewart, aberdeen, scotland

Should be a capital offence

Phil, Preston,

With thousands of viruses and hundreds of virus detection software how does one have a benchmark of what's the most consistent detector

Gilbert, Broadstairs,

Oh no! This is almost as scary as bird flu!!

Andy Kinghan, London, England

So when will this kind of crime be taken seriously instead of attracting 'slap on the wrist' sentences?
we just love the world.....frist we must enjoy our life...EUAgeless.COM here you can find the one who is really waiting for you !!! Maybe EUAgeless.COM is the best place for you to meet like-minded dream lovers timely. lol...

don, NEW YORK,

Viruses affect people who don't have antivirus and firewall software, visit porn and gambling sites, or download cracked software from the web.

Install Norton Internet Security. Install AdAware. Windows Defender. Turn on Windows firewall.

Protect yourself. Don't save acount details on your PC.

clivex, Bristol, England

"with any visitor at risk of being infected."

Factually incorrect, It should read "with any visitor using Microsoft software at risk of being infected"

A virus is an name given to an exploit of a security defect in an operating system.

Why pay for faulty software?

Try Linux - free, no virus

Nick, Chelmsford,

Because Richard 50% of anti-viruses are RUBBISH !!!!

Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,

Get a Mac! I have no virus software and have never had a problem. Anti-virus software often (but not always) causes more problems than it solves and is an extra expense. Macs seems more expensive but time and time again studies show that like for like, they are as cheap as PC's when you add in sftwr

george, london,

The simple answer is stop paying bills on line, take them to the post office and pay there. The increased business will also keep the post offices open

phil, brixham,

How are they able to install these viruses onto the websites ? Is it the website hosting companies that are vulnerable ? Or is it fraud by the website developers ?

How ? How ? How ?

Richard, edenbridge,

And which anti-virus products should we be using to protect us from this please?

sally, Southampton,

"After reporting the theft he installed an anti-virus system". In that case, 9/10ths of the blame go to that person.

Having an internet-facing computer without an up-to-date anti-virus system is idiotic. These same people are also those most likely to be infected with a spam sending virus.

Craig, London,

If the virus is as serious as is being made out, why do only about 50% of anti-virus products detect it?

richard, bangkok,

So when will this kind of crime be taken seriously instead of attracting 'slap on the wrist' sentences? The way the law currently treats even organised crime hackers is more akin to it being viewed some kind of adolescent prank.

Dirk Bruere, Bedford, England