Asprox virus hits British Web sites

LONDON, July 23 (UPI) -- Key British government and consumer Web sites have been infiltrated by the Asprox computer virus, opening users to hacker attacks, officials said.

Eastern European cyber-criminals are suspected by authorities of launching the virus, which has attached itself to at least 1,000 British Web sites, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

Included are Web sites operated by Britain's National Health Service and at least 12 local government councils, meaning anyone visiting them to pay parking tickets or their council taxes were at risk over a three-day period, the newspaper said.

Experts say the Asprox virus can sit undetected on Web site servers, and that any visitor to a compromised site risks being infected. The virus automatically installs itself on the browser's computer, allowing cyber-criminals to access and transmit financial information.