Norton Antivirus 11 ruined my Macbook

[ceezy3000]

so i installed it 6 days ago. it was slow not as slow as i had heard but whatever. long story short it corrupted my harddisk. dont know what i can do or legal action i have, i hate symantec. any bad antivirus experiences? feel free to share

[GGJstudios]

There ARE no viruses in the wild that affect Mac OS X.
No antivirus software can detect a Mac virus, because no Mac viruses exist.
There are trojans that exist, but these can be easily avoided if:
you are careful what applications you install
you are careful where you get applications
you never enter your administrative password without THINKING!
You also may not be aware that this question, like many others, has already been discussed quite a bit (beat to death, actually!) Using MRoogle (http://mroogle.edesignuk.com/) to search the forums before you post will frequently reveal threads related to your question that the standard forum search misses, and will help you avoid posting repetitive threads. Here are some of the dozens of threads on this topic, filled with opinions and recommendations:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=virus+site:forums.macrumors.com&as_qdr=y&btnG=Search

One thread that you may find particularly helpful is this one:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=7066120

[ceezy3000]

yea i know about mroogle,just felt like venting

[GGJstudios]

yea i know about mroogle,just felt like venting
You're venting about a problem that you created for yourself by installing bloated and needless AV software on a virus-free Mac. :rolleyes:

[Santabean2000]

There are plenty of viruses for apps that do run on macs, esp the MS ones (of course).

Don't get too comfortable in 'macworld', some av software is a no brainer for any computer user who steps out.

[GGJstudios]

There are plenty of viruses for apps that do run on macs, esp the MS ones (of course).
Name one.

[Scottsdale]

You know, it's common as Windows "switchers" transition to Mac OS X... the feeling of security that comes with Norton AntiVirus drags you in... it's because you know with Windows that NAV slows your computer to a near stop, BUT it actually provides protection from all of the viruses that ruin the entire environment. So, as a former Windows user, all computer to Mac OS X switchers will feel the need to buy NAV even if they hear it's not necessary.

Don't blame yourself. Years of being a Windows user made you believe it was necessary. One day it will be necessary to run an AV app on a Mac system, but as of today, it just isn't necessary. NAV built its reputation by stopping viruses on Windows machines (hell, NAV probably is behind some of the viruses - could be the biggest con in application technology - well maybe), and NAV has never proved WORTHY of being an App used on a Mac OS X machine.

I wish you the very best in fixing your MacBook. You probably lost all of your files. I hope you have a backup, and I hope everything is recovered. Then, stay away from NAV, and LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL, NAV free.

Enjoy your Mac.

Cheers.

[PeterQC]

There are plenty of viruses for apps that do run on macs, esp the MS ones (of course).

Don't get too comfortable in 'macworld', some av software is a no brainer for any computer user who steps out.

There are NO Mac virus in the wild, as far as we know. There was Leap.A at one time, but it's no more in circulation.

You can get Windows virus on your Mac. But since they need a windows environment to work, they are just a string of useless code on your computer.

There's Trojans. That especially target the people idiots enough to pirates software on torrent. They do not reproduce.

Annnnd that's it. Nothing else.

[GGJstudios]

There are NO Mac virus in the wild, as far as we know. There was Leap.A at one time, but it's no more in circulation.

There's Trojans. That especially target the people idiots enough to pirates software on torrent. They do not reproduce. .
What doesn't reproduce? The trojans? Or the idiots? :D

[bartelby]

What doesn't reproduce? The trojans? Or the idiots? :D

If only...

[ceezy3000]

was the macro virus a virus? or a trojan?

[Santabean2000]

Name one.


I don't know the official name, but the first one we had at work poped up with 'Are You Surprised', in both MS Word and OpenOffice docs. I think it first appeared here in 2004, and it's still present as it infested so many users/files, (we have approx 2000 macs), even though the server is routinely scanned.

[Peace]

Old wise saying..

Garbage in...Garbage out..

[GGJstudios]

was the macro virus a virus? or a trojan?
If you're asking about the "Leap" or "Oompa-Loompa", it was a trojan. You had to download it, unzip it, and run it. It couldn't install or run itself.

[ceezy3000]

If you're asking about the "Leap" or "Oompa-Loompa", it was a trojan. You had to download it, unzip it, and run it. It couldn't install or run itself.
no this was call WM97 or something, but yea only dumb websurfers got leap-a

[GGJstudios]

no this was call WM97 or something, but yea only dumb websurfers got leap-a
My original post still stands: there ARE NO viruses that run on Mac OS X, but there ARE trojans, which can be avoided with a small dose of common sense.

[Peace]

no this was call WM97 or something, but yea only dumb websurfers got leap-a

Are you running Windows on that ? because the macro you found is an old one for PC's

http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/wm97zmkj.html

And it's really old. Designed for windows 98

http://www.viruslist.com/en/news?id=762

[ceezy3000]

Are you running Windows on that ? because the macro you found is an old one for PC's

http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/wm97zmkj.html
no just bringing it up to keep the thread alive, lol

[Santabean2000]

My original post still stands: there ARE NO viruses that run on Mac OS X, but there ARE trojans, which can be avoided with a small dose of common sense.

We have had at least two running on Tiger, and now Leopard...

Still, I guess that's nothing much as compared to the forty trillion, (or whatever they're up to), on Windows...

[GGJstudios]

We have had at least two running on Tiger, and now Leopard...

Still, I guess that's nothing much as compared to the forty trillion, (or whatever they're up to), on Windows...
I repeat: Name ONE virus in the wild that runs on Mac OS X. ONE!

[Peace]

This thread is wasteland..

[ceezy3000]

to summarize this thread there are no viruses for mac just trojans which can be avoided with common sense. and all symantec products suck eggs .

[Santabean2000]

I repeat: Name ONE virus in the wild that runs on Mac OS X. ONE!

http://www.macfixitforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/717060/site_id/1

Out.

[GGJstudios]

http://www.macfixitforums.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/717060/site_id/1

Out.
That's a MS macro virus, very old news, and it doesn't run on current software, since all those "holes" were plugged years ago. The only way you could make it run is to run an old OS and old versions of MS Office, refusing to do updates for 4 years. Try again.

[dwright1974]

I was under the impression that whilst a mac couldn't be infected with a virus it could be a 'carrier'?

If you send files that have a Windows Virus to a Windows computer then that could be infected with it. I am thinking along the lines of Office files, for example.

I run Sophos on mine for that very reason. I use my MBP for work in a mixed environment of Windows and Mac computers so I don't want to be 'that carrier', IMO it's about being responsible.

And please, no flaming about 'well they deserve it for not running AV, etc etc' :D

- D

[GGJstudios]

I was under the impression that whilst a mac couldn't be infected with a virus it could be a 'carrier'?
And please, no flaming about 'well they deserve it for not running AV, etc etc'
No flame at all, but running a Windows computer without AV protection is the pinnacle of stupidity. If you really want to help your Windows-user friends, tell them to install and run antivirus software.

[Santabean2000]

...it doesn't run on current software...

Right, so Leopard and OpenOffice 3.0 are old?

I agree there is not a lot of risk (currently), but it has been my experience that av has helped out, even if, as others have pointed out, you stop being a 'carrier'. [I'm not arrogant enough to assume all others care, or should care, enough, about computers to know how to protect themselves.]

Must be nice up on you highhorse.