UK govt gives malware infected laptops to vulnerable students

Sergiu Gatlan reports:

Some of the laptops distributed by the UK Department for Education (DfE) to vulnerable students have been found to be infected with malware as reported by the BBC.

The devices are given out for free by the government to support disadvantaged students unable to access remote education during the COVID-19 pandemic, including children and young people who have no digital devices, have only a smartphone, or share a single device with other family members.

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The malware found on the infected laptops is Gamarue (aka Andromeda), a modular malware strain known to be commonly used by Russian and Eastern European cybercriminals.