# Virus question



## techguy41 (Apr 22, 2004)

I know that macs are known for being totally wirus and spyware resistant. 

Im getting a mac and backed up all my documents from my pc. What if one one my files was infected with a virus or spyware and I put it on the mac. What would happen to the mac?

Can a mac get a virus?


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## macdudenj (Jun 22, 2006)

Probably nothing if the code was written for windows xp. However, just scan the protected files with antivirus software before you switch. Check the security section of this site for many free antispyware and virus software like Ad-Aware and AVG. Here is a great site for the switch from windows to mac.

http://www.apple.com/support/switch101/migrate/


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## VegasACF (May 27, 2005)

Macs may be "known for being totally [v]irus and spyware resistant", but that is a misguided idea.

It's not that Macs are resistant to these things, but, rather, the case is that Macs are simply not the main target of the miscreants that create these things. Macs make up such a (blessedly) small footprint on the surface of the terra firma of computing that it's just not worth the time of a "programmer" to create such things for the Mac platform.

I write this just to say beware. As Apple creates for itself a larger footprint it will become the target of malware (and, in fact, already has to a small degree). And the malware that is part of Word macros can be as deadly to the Mac side as the Windows side. And the fact that the Mac OS is now .nix-based only heightens the risk.

Only a fool opens his computer up to the world wide web without _some _form of protection, and it doesn't matter which OS he runs.

No one should ever buy a Mac because it is malware "proof". It's not. It's only a matter of time. There are (for lack of a more fitting term) terrorists that will, eventually, decide to set their sites on this side of the platform aisle.


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## MSM Hobbes (Apr 23, 2004)

To what Vegas has said above, and what others have said elsewhere, that is so - however, just be also [unfortunately] careful in that sometimes the preventive cure can be worse than the actual threat and/or sickness. In other words, say you have a spiffy new Apple, and then w/ the worries and concerns, place something like Norton on there - quite strong rumours suggest that such can actually do more harm than good. So, be careful when being careful.  Shame that a person has to worry about this crap...


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## blackxingu (Sep 5, 2006)

Yes... Myself being a mac user, I think that I have just gotten an "AIM virus"... One of those "Hey do you mind if I post these pics of you?" Things. I clicked..  I guess it's my own darned fault for not getting anti-virus software.


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## Serge_N_Gin (Sep 7, 2004)

I use ClamXav on my iMac G5 PPC.

http://www.markallan.co.uk/clamXav/


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## chinajon (Sep 30, 2006)

Yes, Macro hacks can do damage to anyone. But it is not the case with virus. Well, as a newbie I would have to say that it is early to disagree with a senior member of the firm such as VegasACF, but in fact the Mac OSX is far more resistant to attack than Windows. Please don't start a flame war. But there are fewer ways for a virus to propagate. It can't just write itself into the registry, nor attach itself to files. One application doesn't have the write permissions necessary to do it.

The Mac Trojans are another problem. But they require assistance from a tricked user who thinks he looking at a pic or downloading a util. These faults were identified and closed in the last few updates, but if a user allows a process by typing in his password, then it is his fault, not the OS.

Be that as it may, you can still load virus on the Mac and it will spread when you send the file to other PC users, even though it doesn't attack the Mac. If there is an email or PC appllstaion that is infected, and you put it on the Mac and subsequntly send it to some third party, then the virus can be active in their machine. Try to disinfect the files before you load the Mac up.

Just a suggestion, but try stinger from McAfee. It is a free download and is updated often. I help my PC using friends a lot with it.

http://download.nai.com/products/mcafee-avert/stinger.exe

It will kill these virus:
BackDoor-AQJ Bat/Mumu.worm Exploit-DcomRpc
IPCScan IRC/Flood.ap IRC/Flood.bi
IRC/Flood.cd NTServiceLoader PWS-Sincom
W32/[email protected] W32/Deborm.worm.gen W32/Elkern.cav
W32/[email protected] W32/FunLove W32/Klez
W32/Lirva W32/Lovgate W32/Lovsan.worm
W32/[email protected] W32/MoFei.worm W32/Mumu.b.worm
W32/Nimda W32/Sdbot.worm.gen W32/[email protected]
W32/Sobig W32/SQLSlammer.worm W32/[email protected]

From http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?path=/virusInfo/virusRemoval/Stinger.asp


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## chinajon (Sep 30, 2006)

http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?path=/virusInfo/virusRemoval/Stinger.asp

Get Stinger from McAfee and clean the PC files first.


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