Virus Info Please

[marchcapital]

I need some info about viruses designed for mac. I just switched to mac about 4 days ago from being a pc user and have been reading about viruses on this site for hours, and how I can protect my computer. Quite frankly I’m a little freaked out. I downloaded ClamXav and it works great at scanning my mac for viruses. However I felt I needed something more. Something that would detect viruses, trogans, spyware, and alert me immediately. So I downloaded an application recommended on this site. I don’t remember the name of it but it was like ClamAV or something like that. I downloaded it and it was sent to my desktop as a .zip file. Right away without opening it I scanned it with ClamXav and it found one infected file. It didn’t say what it was, just that there was one infected file. So immediately, I moved it to the trash and emptied the trash can. Then RESET my mac to delete it from memory.

Should I be worried that my computer could be infected with something even though I did not open the .zip file? I have done extensive scanning with ClamXav to make sure there is no virus on my computer. Also my mac hasn’t been acting differently that I have noticed. Is there something in particular that I should look for?

Can you catch a virus just from surfing the web? (Ex. merely opening a webpage from google) Or do you have to actually download something?


Any input will be greatly appreciated!

 

[skoker]

I need some info about viruses designed for mac. I just switched to mac about 4 days ago from being a pc user and have been reading about viruses on this site for hours, and how I can protect my computer. Quite frankly I’m a little freaked out. I downloaded ClamXav and it works great at scanning my mac for viruses. However I felt I needed something more. Something that would detect viruses, trogans, spyware, and alert me immediately. So I downloaded an application recommended on this site. I don’t remember the name of it but it was like ClamAV or something like that. I downloaded it and it was sent to my desktop as a .zip file. Right away without opening it I scanned it with ClamXav and it found one infected file. It didn’t say what it was, just that there was one infected file. So immediately, I moved it to the trash and emptied the trash can. Then RESET my mac to delete it from memory.

Should I be worried that my computer could be infected with something even though I did not open the .zip file? I have done extensive scanning with ClamXav to make sure there is virus on my computer. Also my mac hasn’t been acting differently that I have noticed. Is there something in particular that I should look for?

Can you catch a virus just from surfing the web? (Ex. merely opening a webpage from google) Or do you have to actually download something?


Any input will be greatly appreciated!

First off, welcome to Mac!

You shouldn't really worry about viruses, there's only like two of them and they aren't really viruses, just *nix scripts. Use common sense and you'll be fine.

 

[calebjohnston]

I'm sure you're fine but you want to uncheck (it might be unchecked by default - mine was) the "open safe files after downloading" option in safari in the general preferences tab. There is a slight security issue in that respect, but apple has been told about the worm, not virus, that has been talked about here - it's nothing you need to worry about. Just don't download weird, random things as is always the case on the internet.

 

[~Shard~]

Agreed. AV software will probably slow down your system if anything, and it isn;t necesary. As skoker said, just use common sense and you'll be fine.

 

[iBlue]

Can you catch a virus just from surfing the web? (Ex. merely opening a webpage from google) Or do you have to actually download something?

you actually have to download something. that whole thing was blown way out of proportion honestly. it was basically a 'hidden' piece of malware, not technically a vulnerability (other than on the user level vulnerabillity) don't worry, i know a lot of us come from the world of windows where this is a severe problem but it will never be like that with a mac. (yes i said never)

i am sure you'll get a lot more input on this though that might ease your mind.

 

[XNine]

Dude, seriously. It's a MAc. THERE ARE NO VIRUSES for OS X. Never has been, and still isn't.

All scripts used so far are designed to have the user start it. Norton is a waste of money. It's not only sucks as far as UI goes, but the load on the system and the files it puts in all sorts of stupid places are hard to find.

I would say that you don't download anything that you don't know where it came from, and make sure you have OS X's built in firewall. Trust me, I've been running Macs since 10.1 (four years now) and have never had a threat, never been hacked, never been duped by someone elses script, and my only problems were hardware related... One stick of RAM wne tbad (and that was under lifetime warranty) and I've had one HD go bad. Not bad in my opinion.

As Yoda would teoll you: "You have to unlearn what you have learned." OS X isn't that pile of crap known as Windows. You will soon learn the ins and outs of the system and the ase of use of it all.

Take your time, breathe, and know that MacRumors is one of the best (if not the best) source for help and information.

 

[marchcapital]

Wow

Wow, i am in awe with the rapid responses! I definatly feel better now. I come from a family of hard core pc users. My father owns a SAP Consulting Company that has had projects with the provincial governmets all across Canada and now with the Federal Government. My mother owns a retail chain that is also run by pc's. So we have ten pc's thorought the house, lol, one for every area. and ive always had my own personal pc. and since i first started using computers seriously when i was 8 thought there must be sumthing simpler then windows. So just a few monts ago i was talking to moms graphic artist who swears by her mac, so i decided to switch and try it out. (not without alot of resitance from my parents.) so far i am completly impressed by the simplicity of the OS but yet it does everything my pc does...i just dont have to configure everything manually like in windows.

my mother is also impressed and i think i have her convinced that the next time she updates the pc's in her company she'll switch to mac

im looking forward to any other advise ppl have about viruses for mac

 

[plinden]

im looking forward to any other advise ppl have about viruses for mac

Create a standard, not admin, account for normal use.
Hmmm ... that's it.

 

[~Shard~]

im looking forward to any other advise ppl have about viruses for mac

All I'll add is that the same goes for spyware, adware, malware, etc. You won't find any of that on your nice new Mac.