Irish computers affected by Regin computer spying bug

Ireland has been named as one of ten countries most affected by a computer spying bug malware called Regin.

Symnatec, the internet security company which claims to have found the bug, said the software could take screenshots, control the cursor and steal passwords.

It said Ireland had been the site of 9 per cent of confirmed infections and Russia, Saudi Arabia and Mexico had also been heavily affected. A report from Symnatec said Regin was highly-sophisticated software which had been active since 2008 and may have been created by a national government.

It had been used to attack individuals and small businesses as well as private companies, government entities and research institutes. Telecoms companies had also been infected, allowing hackers to gain access to phone calls. Computers were infected with the software through means including fake internet sites and instant messenger programmes.

Symnatec said it was unusually low-key, meaning it could be used on a target for several years before being noticed. The report described the purpose of Regin as “intelligence gathering” and said: “It is used for the collection of data and continuous monitoring of targeted organisations or individuals.”