Egypt studying 'Flame' virus damage, says internet security czar

Egyptian cybersecurity officials are studying the possible effects of the recently discovered 'Flame' virus, a programme seemingly designed to steal computer data.

Sherif Hashem, senior adviser to Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said the ministry is studying reports published by reputable digital security firms to understand the risks local computer users may be facing.

Hashem said it was unlikely, however, that the virus will seriously affect Egyptian or regional telecoms networks.

The ministry's announcement follows reports of the malware's presence in computer networks across the Middle East, including in Egypt.

Infections have also been reported in the Palestinian West Bank, Iran, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Austria, Russia, Hong Kong and Hungary.