Macintosh Virus Notes

[kc0arf]

I'd like to create a Virus Log describing each virus that becomes known for the Macintosh Platform. Inside each announcement, the following information shall be included:

Virus Name:
Mac OS threatened:
Date of Detection:
Sources of Information:
Brief Summary of what the Virus Does:
Links to steps on how to Remove:
Brief steps for protection:

[kc0arf]

** ANNOUNCEMENT **

Symantec has identified a Mac OS X Virus.

Virus Name: MacOS.Renepo.B
OS Threatened: Macintosh OS X
Date of Detection: October 22,2004

Sources of Information: Symantec Website... http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/macos.renepo.b.html

Brief Summary of what the Virus Does: This virus is a script that installs several pieces of software to record keystrokes made into the computer (very bad) and it also steals passwords, attempts to compromise the internal firewall, and become the root user. Once it becomes a root user, the script can do anything to that computer. The computer will also slow down, with a process called JOHN consuming most of the CPU time.

Links to steps on how to Remove: See the Symantec Website

Brief steps for protection: Watch what you download. Maintain firewalls, especially if you are on a Cable/DSL connection. It doesn't hurt to have two firewalls handy. Avoid using the root user for normal tasks, and also avoid using an administrator account for normal daily tasks. Check your file permissions out using the Disk Utility, and also update your computer and keep it updated often. Also, make backups of any data files.

[yellow]

I hate that they classify this as a virus. At best, it's a rootkit or a trojan. A virus or worm implies that it can replicate itself, which it cannot.

[wmrandall]

I'd like to create a Virus Log describing each virus that becomes known for the Macintosh Platform. Inside each announcement, the following information shall be included: Virus Name: Mac OS threatened: Date of Detection: Sources of Information: Brief Summary of what the Virus Does: Links to steps on how to Remove: Brief steps for protection:

I suggest exploring AVAST for Mac. It provides all features listed.

[drameshgar1]

correct me if i am wrong but people say in mac machine you cannot get viruses ...is that true?? i have usb when i plug in mac scan it using northan the software shows usb is clean .. but when i plug in my friend pc the warning message appears saying they is virus.. .??? dont understand

[jingda]

Mac can get virus but is very rare, there are hardly any virus for mac just little trojan or worms here and there. As Apple get more popular, hacker will soon buy a macbook and start exploiting it and soon there will be thousands of mac viruses in a couple of months or a year.

Ok, back to your case. What OS is your friend using? When you plug in the flash drive into your friend PC, it says there is a virus, right? What is the name of the virus?

i need to know some things

1) What is your mac OS version?
2) What is your Norton antivirus version

Download Avsat and scan the flsah drive again when it is plug in to your mac.

[drameshgar1]

i have mac book pro SnowLeopard 10.6.8..and my friend has window 7 and yes i dont use any virus in my mac because some one told me that mac dont get viruses but from reading at your comment now i know mac do get viruses.

[drameshgar1]

but once i did downloaded a virus i dont remember the name but it was new virus i scan the usb and plug in to my friend pc and still the computer was picking virus --i told him i scan this usb and i even formatted my usb but still when plugin my usb in his pc his Norton antivirus version was picking virus for some reason....

[jingda]

So what you are trying to find out now if whether mac has viruses, right? The answer can be yes or no depends on how you believe it. There are viruses that infects mac circulating around the web and the chance of getting one is so rare that people don't believe that these virus out there.

Try using Sophos Antivirus Free For Mac. It is able to detect both windows and mac viruses much better than Norton and the virus definitions are update daily.

http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-antivirus-for-mac-home-edition.aspx