Computers containing malware were given to UK schools

The UK Department for Education has reported that some of the more than 800.000 laptops, given to UK schools because of the pandemic situation, contained malware.

The infection was discovered by teachers at Brandford School after they posted the suspicious files on an online forum. The malware in question is the well-known Gamarue worm, which was identified by Microsoft in 2012 and whose purpose is to install spyware which may collect browsing, personal or banking data.

Currently, the Department of Education is urgently investigating the incident with the help of experts and the company Geo, the manufacturer of the equipment. So far, the actual scope of the problem is unknown and schools are advised to check their networks, restart computers in safe mode and carry out anti-virus scans.