D-Day looms as users face internet chaos

The issue, which has affected computers around the world, came about after the gang created a piece of malware named DNSChanger, which infected computers and redirected them to malicious websites, netting the criminals millions of pounds through ad hijacking.

Since then the FBI has continued to run the servers for a grace period to give computer users time to remove the infection from their machines.

This period ends today and anyone who has not removed the offending software by then will not be able to access the web.

Marcin Kleczynski, chief executive of Malwarebytes, which makes a free piece of software designed to remove this kind of malware, said: “The FBI left the criminal servers running to give infected users time, however it is estimated there are still hundreds of thousands who just don’t know they are infected.”