are jpeg virus possible on mac?

[andiwm2003]

I read that jpeg files can be used to crash windows systems or they can even contain viruses.
is that possible on osX machines running safari?

can i transmit a windows virus via mail when i send out jpeg's?
can i spread windows viruses when people download jpeg's from my .mac website?

if yes, how can i clean the files?
do mac virus scanners remove windows viruses?

thanks for any info,

andi

 

[iMeowbot]

The current JPEG exploit is a problem with the Windows GDI (sort of the Windows equivalent to the Mac's Toolbox or Quartz), so attacks on it won't affect other systems.

However! There is a similar exploit affecting PNG images in all Gecko-based browsers (Mozilla, Firefox, Camino) except for the latest releases. If you use any of those, upgrade ASAP if you haven't already.

[BTW, this is really a series of holes found in libpng, which is used in lots of browsers including Safari. If you are up-to-date with Apple software updates, you'll be fine there.]

 

[varmit]

I read that jpeg files can be used to crash windows systems or they can even contain viruses.
is that possible on osX machines running safari?

can i transmit a windows virus via mail when i send out jpeg's?
can i spread windows viruses when people download jpeg's from my .mac website?

if yes, how can i clean the files?
do mac virus scanners remove windows viruses?

thanks for any info,

andi

The jpeg flaw doesn't work on the Mac browser Safari as far as I know. You can however, send out a virus. That is someone gave you a file that had a virus and you didn't have a scanner to say it did, and you sent it back out again. So if you put a jpeg, that had a virus up on your .mac, yes, you could give out a virus to Windows users.

If you have dot.mac, there is a Virex Anti Virus in the software folder, and is free for you to use. Install it, and you have done all you can for the Windows users, because the virus scanner basically only looks for Windows viruses since Mac OS X doesn't have any yet. But if OS X was to get one, update your Virex, and you are safe.