Code Red variant making waves online

Code Red II has been causing sporadic disruption to the internet.

The new threat comes a variant of the worm that triggered an international alert last week.

E-security experts at the US government-backed SANS Institute have noted more internet traffic than usual.

It says web users worldwide are seeing disruption to cable and digital subscriber line (DSL) networks.

It reads: "In fact some people have not been able to use the internet at all today due to the deluge."

They explain that the problem is due to the floods of data that result from the worm's attempts to propagate itself.

It's been reported that China's Ministry of Public Security had issued a national alert in response to Code Red II, and that some internet links in Seoul had been suspended.

The variant adds a new dimension to the original Code Red - it allows hackers to gain remote access to infected computers.