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IRC Bot/Virus

M

mr.light

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Hello all
This is my first post although I have been reading MacRumors for a long time. I'm hoping someone can help me with a little problem I am having. My service provider (Rogers cable) is claiming that one of my computers has contracted an "IRC Bot/Virus" . I thought this was a windows virus. Is it even possible that one of my macs has this virus? If so, How do I get rid of it?

Maybe they are just trying to get me to buy the anti virus software or something?

Thanks
 
I do not think that is possible, since Windoze viruses cannot be run from the Mac OS environment, but you can actually send the virus to other people, but this does not occurs automatically. Talk to them and ask them what makes them think that.
 
NAG said:
Do you have an unsecured wireless router?
Click to expand...

I have a wireless router but it is secured. Would my daughter 🙂oNaive girl) forwarding an email (- the one about bill gate sharing his wealth) have contributed to this in any way?

Mr.Light
 
Thanks!

Thanks

It seems they (my ISP) noticed that I had not yet downloaded their windoze anti virus package and this was their way of getting my attention. I am NOT impressed! 😡
I'd switch ISP's if there was a viable option.

Anyway thanks again!
🙂
 
Peace said:
That would tick me off.

Ask them how a virus got past their servers.😉
Click to expand...

Indeed! This is the same company that is supposed to get the iphone rights in Canada. These people barely admit that macs even exist! I wonder if things will change if they ever get it.
🙄
 
Things aren't much better in the US. Comcast likes to pretend Macs can't even connect to the internet using their service.
 
And I thought this issue was dead!

*begin rant*
My internet was down today so I called Rogers to find out what is up. They said, "You have been shut down by our security devision for significant virus activity" No warnings.... Nothing. I basically had to agree to let them cut me off any time for a week next time they THINK there is a problem or they would not turn it back on. I am extremely miffed at this point. The guy on the line tried to tell me there are tons of Mac viruses! Then asked if I used programs such as LimeWire. Hmm. what do you suppose the possibility is that they are targeting users of file sharing programs?

When I told them that I was going to cancel all there service if they continued to treat me like a criminal the guy just said, "OK".

Man. I really hope Apple does not bring out the iPhone with these IDIOTS!
*end rant*
Ok. I feel a bit better now.
 
Wow, what a bunch of idiots. I'd definitely move to a different supplier.

Personally I would I would contact them and state that unless they provide me with factual evidence of your significant virus activity that you will be contacting a solicitor and taking further action on their behaviour. Also say your recording the telephone conversation too for your records. If you get an up his own arse nut-job asking if you have recording equip, just get cocky and say "no, but I do have a video recorder and a handsfree phone!" It seems like what they're doing is wrong.

The guy on the line tried to tell me there are tons of Mac viruses!
Click to expand...
Act dumb on the phone and ask if Mac's can open .exe files and see what they say lol.
 
Ooooo. I wish I had thought of that! I was just to stunned and miffed at the time. Everyone should cancel on these idiots!
 
Unfortunately, this happens a lot, especially if you have an unsecured wireless access point. Rogers are notorious for cutting off connections over things like this because they monitor traffic on the network and if they see any malicious activity they flag the IP address and the MAC address of your modem and suspend the account (even if it wasn't specifically your computer, as long as it comes from your IP/MAC you're flagged). If this happens again, when you get through to a Tier 1 agent just ask to speak with security (also known as EUA).

Also, ask which computer it's logged from. If it's an IRC Bot/Virus, they usually have the NetBIOS name of the computer so that can help limit it down as to whether or not it originated from your computers or not. This doesn't always work, sometimes it just gives an IP address... but if they tell you that they have no further information, tell them they're full of it and ask to speak with a supervisor. The tools show all of the information.

Inform them that you have a Mac and that you have ensured that everything is clean and secure, if they refuse to reconnect you ask to speak with a supervisor.

And if you've got a problem with Rogers' policies, feel free to contact The Office of the President, they handle all inquiries regarding policies.

P.S.: Stay away from the Rogers Yahoo! Online Protection package, it's just a rebranded Norton Security Suite... and it's garbage.
 
iCeFuSiOn said:
P.S.: Stay away from the Rogers Yahoo! Online Protection package, it's just a rebranded Norton Security Suite... and it's garbage.
Click to expand...

That was what I had heard as well. Last time I checked it was for windows only.

I have a secure wireless. Went out and bought an Airport Extreme after the first time because I though perhaps my neighbour was hacking in.

The guy I was speaking to at security likely wouldn't know a Mac if it fell on him. He told me if I did not believe him I could, "call Mac and they will tell me about all the viruses"! I said, " Call Who?"

But thanks for the advice I will surely use it next time.
 
Make sure you are using WPA2 wireless security on your Airport Extreme. WEP is easily hackable. Also, if they bother you again, you can check how many wireless connections there are to your Airport Extreme (if you load up Airport Utility).

Reading that makes me glad that the UK has some decent ISP providers such as Virgin - no download limit, no peeking at what you are doing (...yet anyway). Only downside to Virgin is they charged me £20 to change the name of the account.
 
If it weren't so sad, it would be funny. Tons of Mac viruses? Windows anti-virus running on Mac OS X? These are probably also the geniuses that will make a toaster out of a car...🙄
 
mr.light said:
The guy I was speaking to at security likely wouldn't know a Mac if it fell on him. He told me if I did not believe him I could, "call Mac and they will tell me about all the viruses"! I said, " Call Who?"
Click to expand...
OK officially subbing to this thread, it gets funnier and funnier each time I come back to it. LOL @ call Mac! What is Apple's new logo a rainMac coat perhaps?
 
Googled the virus name to get some background information and came across this messageboard....

Rogers also called me and informed me that I had 24 hours to remove this virus from my computer - but I do use a PC. This isn't about that though 😛 After reading this I'm very, very skeptical about what they've told me. At the time of their call my computer hadn't even been ON at all in the last 24 hours; and it won't be getting turned on at all due to unrelated reasons. How could they have detected any infection if my connection wasn't active with my PC? Were they backlogged in their calls busy leaving Mac users messages too? 😉 I was told to take it to a technician. I'm using my laptop now, and in the works of getting a new PC anyways.

I'm glad I found this thread. Rogers is retarded.
 
mr.light said:
*begin rant*
My internet was down today so I called Rogers to find out what is up. They said, "You have been shut down by our security devision for significant virus activity" No warnings.... Nothing. I basically had to agree to let them cut me off any time for a week next time they THINK there is a problem or they would not turn it back on. I am extremely miffed at this point. The guy on the line tried to tell me there are tons of Mac viruses!
Click to expand...

Yes, there are tons. 0 tons! 🙂

Ask them to give you one public example of a user
having been infected with an OS X virus. If there are
tons of these things out there, it shouldn't be too
difficult to find one, should it?
 
Dear God, this company sound terrible! I would ditch these halfwits in a millisecond. I hope business practices like this doesn't start to leak over to the UK. I keep hearing how bad US and Canadian telecoms services are (port throttling, poor customer service, etc). But this is the first time I've heard of an ISP disconnecting a customer because they believe that customer is distributing viruses. This, in my view, is a pathetic attempt at trying to find out a customer's internet usage (i.e., if they use torrent software). And judging from what I've heard, the staff seem pretty lacking in the IQ department and are obviously not interested in customer retention.

I've had some bad experiences with ISPs in the UK (I recently ditched Pipex because they generally suck), but it was nothing like some of the episodes described here. Companies that treat their customers like this don't deserve to be in business. But sadly this is more the norm these days than the exception.
 
Slothapotamus said:
Dear God, this company sound terrible! I would ditch these halfwits in a millisecond. I hope business practices like this doesn't start to leak over to the UK. I keep hearing how bad US and Canadian telecoms services are (port throttling, poor customer service, etc). But this is the first time I've heard of an ISP disconnecting a customer because they believe that customer is distributing viruses. This, in my view, is a pathetic attempt at trying to find out a customer's internet usage (i.e., if they use torrent software). And judging from what I've heard, the staff seem pretty lacking in the IQ department and are obviously not interested in customer retention.

I've had some bad experiences with ISPs in the UK (I recently ditched Pipex because they generally suck), but it was nothing like some of the episodes described here. Companies that treat their customers like this don't deserve to be in business. But sadly this is more the norm these days than the exception.
Click to expand...

Yup, there certainly hasn't been a lack of Hubris in the boardroom of Rogers Cable and this type of attitude tends to flow down throughout the organization. For example, a few years ago Rogers hit all of their subscribers with negative option billing which upgraded everyone's package without their consent:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Cable#Negative_Option_Billing

I was a customer of Rogers 10 years ago and this stunt irritated me so much I switched service providers.
 
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