A server programme may not actually pose the online backup and IT support threat many had feared, it has been claimed.

Speaking to PC World, analyst at the SANS Internet Storm Center Bojan Zdrnja claimed that OpenSSH threat may have been a hoax.

The programme is used to create secure server connections over the internet and is used by vendors including Apple and IBM.

He told the website: "That's why I think people are actually creating quite a bit of a panic.

"People should not panic right now. Nothing at this time points that there is an exploit being used in the wild."

In an interview with iTWire, OpenSSH developer Damien Miller played down rumours that the application was exposed to a vulnerability.

Rumours about the potential to exploit the weakness have spread quickly across the internet, with many administrators using the technology no doubt feeling justified about their concerns.

A recent survey for Connect found that one in ten companies has lost important data as a result of a backup failure. The company has now developed a unique online backup service for SMEs to ensure they can survive any disaster.