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Help! have I got a virus??

P

portena

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 9, 2008
31
0
Uh oh! my imac is doing the strangest things, really worrying things - here's what happened: I was downloading a whole load of free plug-ins (like 4) for this new software I've got (RapidWeaver) (rapid Weaver has installed and been running without issue, the problem has arisen since downloading one of a number of plugins- in particular one called FlexibleList has me concerned). Everything was going fine until, in the background, I started to hear this static noise - it was coming on and off (through the speakers), then became more frequent, and slowly louder and louder and then it began to sound like a car driving/approaching (this was all audio - not computer machinary noises -, almost like sound affects through the speakers).

This happened very close to the time after I had downloaded the program (though before I had clicked on it to install). The only other programs running were Safari (an ebay type auction website, nothing unusual about that one) and Mail - nothing happening in it). I quickly shut down and rebooted and everything on the surface seems fine. But when I tried to run "verify" in the disk utilities I got a complete stall - couldn't even access the force quit menu - just the whirling ball.

So I switched the power off, waited, re-booted. Went back into disk utilities and noticed (maybe I'm wrong?) that the name of my internal hard drive appears to be different??? its a large set of letters beginning with W.

Maybe I'm going completely nuts , but I was sure it was just called "ourname" (both the main and the subdisk that is).

I later got back in and managed to verify the disk permissions and it said "disk appears to be ok"

but i'm confused - I've been a mac girl for more than 10 years and skited endlessly about the fact I never worry about viruses - but what if I've got a worm or if my disk has been corrupted? Is there no way to check? Its never done anything like this before.

I'm currently downloading updates for the firmware, safari and Java...but otherwise I'm up to date on the software side of things.

Please help

:(

Cheers
Nadine
 
Sounds like you've done enough hard-resetting to corrupt your disk. You're supposed to wait for the disk verification; it can take a while.
 
Did you by chance have a cellphone near your laptop speakers? I know its unlikely, but sometimes, speakers can pick up a noise from your cellphone. It usually sounds like a horse galloping, but sometimes it could be a straight noise, which i would liken to that of a car.

Also, when you verify your disk, you will always get a spinning beach ball. You simply have to wait it out. It takes some time, and it might seem nothing is going on, but the computer has not hanged, its just verifying the disk at the moment.
 
and now i notice in the downloads folder that all the dates are completely out of whack. Beside the name of the files downloaded there is the "date modified" column. The dates don't correspond at all to the last time I opened the files. In fact, those files that I downloaded just today, say they were opened several months ago and at totally odd hours of the morning. One of the files says it was last modified on October 1st 2006 - long before I had even purchased the computer (it was new when I did get it).

i'm totally confused - does the "date modified" refer to the date of inception of the program or something, rather than the date I used/opened it?

worried...
 
latest development...

Now I've heard a voice coming through the speakers - clear as anything: it said

"I know it sounds crazy, but I hear voices in my head". To be honest, it sounded like Gregory House from House (I'd recognise that voice anywhere).

Then silence. Computer otherwise seems to be functioning normally. This is bizarre, I don't think I can deny the fact that something is very wrong here...
 
Eeeeeeeerm. Since the thread is titled: 'Help! Have I got a virus??' I am going to be blunt and say that maybe you have and you should see your doctor...








On a serious note though, if this thread actually is serious, a good ol' archive and install should do the trick...
 
Shot in the dark, but make sure all the remote access options are off in system preferences --> sharing. It is possible someone figured out / brute forced your login if you left it open. I doubt that's what's truly going on but its worth a look.
 
Jiddick ExRex said:
On a serious note though, if this thread actually is serious, a good ol' archive and install should do the trick...
Click to expand...

No, backup your data (if its not already done) and do an erase and install. Your hard drive has clearly got screwed up (as the dates are wrong), you might even need a new one.
 
Uh. . . and maybe you have some kind of virus.

The fanboys wont admit it. But if you are running with administrative rights and CHOOSE to install software, NOTHING will protect you.

I dont know enough about OSX to suggest what process should be running, but that is your answer.

you need to see what processes are running and identify the ones that arent recognized.

Perhaps a true mac expert can pipe in here.

In the mean time, back everything up. Dont bother with software. Just get the stuff that will be difficult/impossible to reproduce. music and pics for me.
 
donmei said:
Uh. . . and maybe you have some kind of virus.

The fanboys wont admit it. But if you are running with administrative rights and CHOOSE to install software, NOTHING will protect you.

I dont know enough about OSX to suggest what process should be running, but that is your answer.

you need to see what processes are running and identify the ones that arent recognized.

Perhaps a true mac expert can pipe in here.

In the mean time, back everything up. Dont bother with software. Just get the stuff that will be difficult/impossible to reproduce. music and pics for me.
Click to expand...

If you choose to install something, and give it your administrator password, then its not a virus. It is a trojan horse. A virus installs automatically, without user knowledge.
 
blubert - you are right.

My appologies for not being more articulate.

I think we both agree that the average person when he hears "no viruses", assumes that to include other types of malware also. Including trojans.

And skyblue, you just illustrated the idiocy of your type.
 
donmei said:
blubert - you are right.

My appologies for not being more articulate.

I think we both agree that the average person when he hears "no viruses", assumes that to include other types of malware also. Including trojans.

And skyblue, you just illustrated the idiocy of your type.
Click to expand...

Normally, I wouldn't say anything, because it makes me sound like a fanboy as well, but I think you're sort of doing the same.

Your first point is not relevant to anything, as what people "generally assume" is not what matters (whatever that means anyways). Apple has stated that there are no viruses for Mac OS X, which is true. As many people have said, not a single computer in the world can be 100% non-susceptible if the user gives the harmful file permission to do its work. If someone really knows that little about computers, they should probably ask someone who does know a little bit before they start downloading everything they can off the internet. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's the end-user's fault that they don't understand and maybe Apple should be a bit clearer, but Apple has made a true statement, and has made no untrue promises, such as "Macs are 100% resistant to everything harmful."

If you get the problem sorted out, just be a bit more careful (not saying that as criticism - I'm switching to "the real issue at hand" mode). I'm sure you'll find if you practice even a little bit of user care, you won't have any problems.
 
Just a question... If no viruses exist for OSX, why is there ClamXAV? Moreover, why is it updated daily?
 
Skyblue,

As was correctly pointed out to me, the OP's machine was infected by a trojan. In other words he INVITED the malware in. It didnt need to worm in.

This example illustrates why some people SHOULD run an ClamX or some other pruduct like it. These products can help protect people from themselves by blocking the installation of trojans and other types of malware.

And by "your type", I mean the type that blindly parrots the myth that macs are immune to EVERYTHING.

Blubert and others have clarifieout my point, a mac may be virtually impervious to viruses, but it is vulnerable to social engineering exploits using trojans.

And again, the answer is to not run as admin for day to day activities, and to never install anything you are not sure about.
 
donmei said:
Skyblue,

As was correctly pointed out to me, the OP's machine was infected by a trojan. In other words he INVITED the malware in. It didnt need to worm in.

This example illustrates why some people SHOULD run an ClamX or some other pruduct like it. These products can help protect people from themselves by blocking the installation of trojans and other types of malware.

And by "your type", I mean the type that blindly parrots the myth that macs are immune to EVERYTHING.

Blubert and others have clarifieout my point, a mac may be virtually impervious to viruses, but it is vulnerable to social engineering exploits using trojans.
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better myself. That's why I'm hoping Apple will come up with an anti-phishing feature in Safari as well, to protect unsuspected users from giving away their creditcard information to a fake Bank/PayPal/Ebay/whatever.

--Erwin
 
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