Virus hits 4500 computers at Melb hospital

MALWARE PROBLEMS AT ROYAL MELBOURNE HOSPITAL:

THE MALWARE

* a worm known as QAKBOT or QBOT

* replicates itself across systems

* disables antivirus software to avoid detection

* logs all information related to finance-related websites

* sends that information to hackers who attempt to harvest money via banks, online shops, iTunes, myki, etc

* opens a backdoor into the system

ROYAL MELBOURNE HOSPITAL OUTBREAK

* first detected on January 15

* infected 4500 computers - most of which are waiting to be upgraded from Windows XP

* also infected servers used by pathology and imaging

* six mutations observed in one day

* suspected to have originated in Russia