Chinese computers get hit by holiday viruses

BEIJING, Oct 8 (Reuters) Viruses infected nearly a million Chinese computers over last week's National Day holiday when many chose to stay home and surf the Internet rather than go out, state media said today.

The computers were infected by three different types of viruses and 118,000 computers crashed on one day alone, Xinhua news agency said on its Web site (www.news.xinhuanet.com), citing the Beijing News.

In September, China jailed four men for writing or profiting from a computer virus dubbed the ''joss-stick burning panda'' which infected over a million computers.

The brains behind it made 145,000 yuan (19,300 dollars) in scams including selling anti-virus software to combat the virus and were jailed for four years.

China's booming Internet is filled with tech-savvy youngsters and problems including addiction, hacking and virtual property theft are on the rise.

Earlier this year, President Hu Jintao launched a campaign to clean up the country's Web pages in order to help build a ''harmonious'' society ahead of the 17th Communist Party Congress this month.

Reuters ARB GC0920