Computers Worldwide Hit By Cyber Hackers

A small group of cyber criminals have succeeded in hacking into almost two million computers around the world - including British Government machines.

The global network of 1.9m computers infected with malicious software, or malware, was tracked to a cyber gang of six people based in the Ukraine.

The malware was remotely controlled by the gang, allowing them to read emails, copy files, record keystrokes, send spam and make screenshots, security firm Finjan said.

The criminal network of remotely controlled computers, known as a botnet, was the largest ever discovered, Finjan said.

Its server has now been shut down.

The botnet started operating in February, infecting consumer, corporate, and government machines.

By far the highest number of infected machines was found in the US, with 45% of the total while the UK's 115,000 affected machines accounted for 6% of the total.