Experts say the worm has "skyrocketed" in recent days.It is sweeping through thousands of offices in the UK and has affected computers at the Ministry of Defence.The virus - known variously as Conficker, Kido or Downadup - burrows deep into the operating system and tricks the machine into running the infected program.Once the worm is running on the computer it automatically starts to download more malicious programs from hackers' websites, with devastating effects.The majority of computers infected by the worm, which was first identified in October, are in Russia, China, Brazil and India. But the virus is now taking hold in the UK.The worm has password cracking capabilities, often successful because company passwords sometimes match a predefined password list that it carries.Eddy Willems, a security analyst with anti-virus firm Kaspersky Labs, said that a new strain of the worm was now causing additional problems.This virus is mainly affecting offices, who have not kept their software up to date. Graham Cluley of computer security firm Sophos.Computer users are advised to ensure their anti-virus software, operating system and firewall is up to date, and that they have installed a Microsoft patch designed to combat the problem.Experts have also warned the virus could spread by copying itself to USB memory sticks shared between computers, and urged users to use caution.1. What could be the problems if this worm infected computers in the United States?2. Do you feel as though your personal computer is safe? What are some ways that you can protect your computer?3. Do you feel as though your identity is safe when you are using your computer?4. How can you protect your identity while shopping online?

1. It would probably give other people access to people's personal stuff, like passwords and things inside someone's computer. I'm sort of thinking it might do similar things that it does to a computer in another country.
2. Well after reading this, not really. I thought before it would be, because I don't have anything that would say my identity, but I think someone could get my passwords.
3. Yes, because I never use anything obvious for any of my passwords, or even my usernames
4. Making sure that when you have to make an account to buy something, that you use a different name then your own, and use a password that is really hard for other people to get a hold of, but that you remember.