virus on Mac?, or.....

[manyrains]

using my Mac Pro other than being dedicated for running Pro Tools for music production- no-no?

Recently new to DAW and Mac world. Bought Mac pro, 10.4, have not uprgraded to leopard yet. I am aware of the fairly hard and fast rule of "dedicated production"machine, and have been dancing on the slippery slope of using my Mac Pro for a few other things- primary web surfing/email, little bit of photo editing.

However- I gave in to temptation to be able to do word processing, and installed office 2008 last week. Subsequently I started getting virus-type pop-up thing that called itself "AntiSpywaremaster"

We deleted it, it popped up again, deleted it, haven't seen it again, yet, but...

So what's the deal, rule of thumb, etc? Did I open pandora's box by loading installing Microsoft Office? I've heard that as far as running pro Tools is concerned, i really don't want to have to install antivirus software. Should I have to? Should disconnect from internet, uninstall office, and get another computer for that stuff? I've read a few articles about this antispywaremaster pop-up, but would appreciate any straight/simple talk- I'm not very savvy when it comes to this stuff. My wife is, but she's not familiar with mac.
Thanks

 

[wadejc85]

Don't know how that could be a virus since there really aren't any viruses for Macs. Symantec says that "Antispywaremaster" does not affect Macs. Symantec says on their website:

Updated: April 30, 2008 11:43:06 AM
Type: Misleading Application
Name: AntiSpywareMaster
Version: 1.0.8.0
Publisher: Locussoftcorp LTD
Risk Impact: Medium
Systems Affected: Windows 98, Windows 95, Windows XP, Windows Me, Windows Vista, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000

Source

I've had Office installed on my iMac for over 2 years and never had that problem.

I would say that a "no-no" would be to ONLY use your Mac Pro for running music production software.

 

[gusious]

Definately it's an or....

 

[GGJstudios]

There are no viruses in the wild that affect Macs.

 

[old-wiz]

there are quite a few fake popups that tell you your computer is infected and are just trying to get you to buy their tools, which are pretty much worthless. I have yet to hear of a true virus on a Mac. I've even seen messages that say "your computer is infected with (a Windows XP) virus! Download our free tool to remove it." crap

 

[sangosimo]

if you do have a windows virus on your box make sure your remove it so it doesn't infect windows computers on the network.

 

[Ivan P]

there are quite a few fake popups that tell you your computer is infected and are just trying to get you to buy their tools, which are pretty much worthless. I have yet to hear of a true virus on a Mac. I've even seen messages that say "your computer is infected with (a Windows XP) virus! Download our free tool to remove it." crap

A member here (I forget who, sorry!) using Safari on their iPod touch/iPhone got one of those messages show up, it even had the Vista theme and everything, there's a screenshot of it posted somewhere.

 

[manyrains]

Thanks for all the responses.
I'm pretty illiterate when it comes to these things. I guess my mind doesn't really differentiate between virus, trojan, spyware, etc. All I know is this thing made it so I couldn't close Safari or shut down properly. My wife, who knows a good deal more than me, (just unfamiliar with Mac) used the term "macro". I think I'm understanding that this is a "pop-up" that tries to get you buy something, but seemed to install something that we deleted twice. I don't know if I inadvertantly installed something, or it makes it so it doesn't make any difference if you click "cance" or "OK".

Where does this come from, anything to do with Office?, it popped up 2x- once when clicking on MySpace, another time when I clicked open "surfline.com".

Haven't seen it since removing it yesterday.

 

[wadejc85]

Thanks for all the responses.
I'm pretty illiterate when it comes to these things. I guess my mind doesn't really differentiate between virus, trojan, spyware, etc. All I know is this thing made it so I couldn't close Safari or shut down properly. My wife, who knows a good deal more than me, (just unfamiliar with Mac) used the term "macro". I think I'm understanding that this is a "pop-up" that tries to get you buy something, but seemed to install something that we deleted twice. I don't know if I inadvertantly installed something, or it makes it so it doesn't make any difference if you click "cance" or "OK".

Where does this come from, anything to do with Office?, it popped up 2x- once when clicking on MySpace, another time when I clicked open "surfline.com".

Haven't seen it since removing it yesterday.

Nothing to do with Office. Period. You said yourself (bolded above) that it happens *when you are using the internet*, so how would it have anything to do with Office?

I guess that's what Microsoft does to a person.. makes them paranoid.

Someone on Apple's Support forum posted about this. Check it out.

 

[gnasher729]

However- I gave in to temptation to be able to do word processing, and installed office 2008 last week. Subsequently I started getting virus-type pop-up thing that called itself "AntiSpywaremaster"

When you said "installed office 2008" you mean you put a Microsoft CD in your computer and installed it from there, right? Anybody can create a webpage with a program called "Office 2008 installer" which you can download, and if you run it (after being warned twice by MacOS X) it does whatever it wants on your computer. That is called a Trojan (read your Homer for an explanation) and relies on gullible users.

There are also websites trying to flog so-called "scareware". They offer a free viruscheck on your computer, and if you do the check, they will have found 41 viruses on your computer and ask you to buy their software. What they don't tell you is that everybody doing the check will get the same list of 41 viruses, whether they are running Windows XP, Vista, Linux or MacOS X, and whether there are any viruses on your computer or not, and the software they are trying to sell will _not_ get rid of any viruses. Quite the opposite: Anyone stupid enough to buy this actually pays to get their computer infected

 

[Consultant]

Thanks for all the responses.
I'm pretty illiterate when it comes to these things. I guess my mind doesn't really differentiate between virus, trojan, spyware, etc. All I know is this thing made it so I couldn't close Safari or shut down properly. My wife, who knows a good deal more than me, (just unfamiliar with Mac) used the term "macro". I think I'm understanding that this is a "pop-up" that tries to get you buy something, but seemed to install something that we deleted twice. I don't know if I inadvertantly installed something, or it makes it so it doesn't make any difference if you click "cance" or "OK".

Where does this come from, anything to do with Office?, it popped up 2x- once when clicking on MySpace, another time when I clicked open "surfline.com".

Haven't seen it since removing it yesterday.

Myspace = land of pop ups.

Don't click on any pop ups.
Don't go to any "adult" content sites linked via myspace.
Don't install any codec to view "videos"

 

[manyrains]

Nothing to do with Office. Period. You said yourself (bolded above) that it happens *when you are using the internet*, so how would it have anything to do with Office?

I guess that's what Microsoft does to a person.. makes them paranoid.

Someone on Apple's Support forum posted about this. Check it out.

Sorry, my understanding of all this is quite limited. I don't know much more than some pop-ups that say you need to download something may not be what they appear to be.

So how am I supposed to know when I get a pop-up that says I need to install updates for the Office (like I did yesterday) I just put on my computer that this a legit update from Microsoft??? Seems to me that somehow, somebody "out there" knows that I've got office on my computer. That's why I wondered if installing a Microsoft program could have anything to do with it. Sorry if I sound paranoid.

I'm going to go peek through my blinds now. I think someone's out there.

 

[Seeker8]

Updates

No need to panic over updating; it take a bit more work if you do the updates manually, but at least you know what you're getting. You'll be turning off automatic updating for most programs on the computer; after that, you'll set an appointment to remind yourself to check for updates manually each month. The key to making this work is to actually follow through and do the manual updates.

For the Mac, go to the Apple menu. Select "Software Update". It'll start to do updates; click the "Quit" button. Now you see the update preferences. Turn off automatic updating by unchecking the "check for updates" box.

For Microsoft Office 2008, open Word. Go to the "Help" menu and select "Check for Updates". Click the button in front of "manually".

Now go into your calendar. Make an appointment/reminder for yourself to check for updates every month. Seriously.

To manually check for Apple software updates, you would go to the Apple menu and select "Software Update".

To manually check for Office software updates, open Word. Go to the "Help" menu and select "Check for Updates".

If you decide you'd still prefer to do automatic updating for everything, then you'll need to spend a little time learning more about the computer and what's installed on it so you can differentiate between legitimate popups and malicious popups.

 

[manyrains]

No need to panic over updating; it take a bit more work if you do the updates manually, but at least you know what you're getting. You'll be turning off automatic updating for most programs on the computer; after that, you'll set an appointment to remind yourself to check for updates manually each month. The key to making this work is to actually follow through and do the manual updates.

For the Mac, go to the Apple menu. Select "Software Update". It'll start to do updates; click the "Quit" button. Now you see the update preferences. Turn off automatic updating by unchecking the "check for updates" box.

For Microsoft Office 2008, open Word. Go to the "Help" menu and select "Check for Updates". Click the button in front of "manually".

Now go into your calendar. Make an appointment/reminder for yourself to check for updates every month. Seriously.

To manually check for Apple software updates, you would go to the Apple menu and select "Software Update".

To manually check for Office software updates, open Word. Go to the "Help" menu and select "Check for Updates".

If you decide you'd still prefer to do automatic updating for everything, then you'll need to spend a little time learning more about the computer and what's installed on it so you can differentiate between legitimate popups and malicious popups.

Very nice. Thank you. I was sort of joking about the Office update- I went ahead and allowed it- but it's good for me to get my head into this if I indeed am going to use this machine for more than running Pro Tools. I'm sure my wife knows all this (she sort of does this for a living, but isn't a Mac person) and the topic just hasn't come up til now.

 

[wadejc85]

Sorry, my understanding of all this is quite limited. I don't know much more than some pop-ups that say you need to download something may not be what they appear to be.

So how am I supposed to know when I get a pop-up that says I need to install updates for the Office (like I did yesterday) I just put on my computer that this a legit update from Microsoft??? Seems to me that somehow, somebody "out there" knows that I've got office on my computer. That's why I wondered if installing a Microsoft program could have anything to do with it. Sorry if I sound paranoid.

I'm going to go peek through my blinds now. I think someone's out there.

You don't really sound paranoid. I think it's normal when one switches from Microsoft to Apple. I didn't mean any offense.

Try not to download or "update" anything unless you know what it is, where it came from, and why you are doing it. If you have questions about a particular message, Google it and see what the results are. Chances are someone else out there got that message.

The only people that should know you have Office on your computer should be the users of the computer and Microsoft. No one else. Pop-ups will come by all the time, but that doesn't mean you should click on them.

I get e-mails all the time about "Customer Service" needing information about my bank account at Wachovia.. oh wait, I don't have a bank account at Wachovia. Scammers and some not-so-nice people send mass e-mails out to a large quantity of people. They hope that at least one person actually replies and gives up their information.

This is how you know. If you didn't request that MS Office do an update check or if you don't have auto-updater scheduled, it's a scam -- especially if the pop-up came when you were at a web site such as Myspace.com or surfline.com.

 

[manyrains]

I've never really paid attention to how/where automatic updates come from. Just have taken for granted they're legit (Microsoft, I-tunes, etc). I think I recognize the difference between these and scams. I guess I've just never realized that I have an automatic update setting vs. manual update. With Office, I was just aware that there was some "portal" to the internet, thus my wondering if that had anything to do with the popup issue I was getting- since it coincided with installing Office.
Thanks for helping me understand this stuff- it's obviously good for me to get my head into understanding what's going on with this update protocol and good maintenance.

 

[charlesandrew24]

Virus Virus Found On My Mac

Guys, after using my Macbook for 4 years i got some trojan virus after install ILIFE08 from torrentz.com. After install this program my mac got crazy. I decided to install Norton and i deleted trojan, but i would like to know that if Norton is enought for that or should i try another antivirus???
I appreciate any helps and i am so surprise with virus on my mac.

Thanks,

Carlos

 

[iBlue]

Guys, after using my Macbook for 4 years i got some trojan virus after install ILIFE08 from torrentz.com. After install this program my mac got crazy. I decided to install Norton and i deleted trojan, but i would like to know that if Norton is enought for that or should i try another antivirus???
I appreciate any helps and i am so surprise with virus on my mac.

Thanks,

Carlos

If you got something dodgy from a dodgy download I don't think anyone here is going to help you out with that. Rules (under "things not to do")

 

[richard.mac]

hello! Forum Spy to the rescue!

Carlos Norton was probably picking up a windows virus which wont affect your Mac. Norton is probably the reason your Mac is running slow (so ive heard) not iLife '08.

 

[ray's]

virus on mac?

i really concerns about that title...

that really any virus on mac?

coz i've been 5 month using macbook,,,and there's naothing happened...!

 

[chilipie]

coz i've been 5 month using macbook,,,and there's naothing happened...!

You've nothing to worry about then!

As ggjstudios said, there are no Mac viruses out in the wild, so unless you go installing dodgy software (or entering an admin username/password when prompted without checking what it's for) you should be fine

 

[toolbox]

hello! Forum Spy to the rescue!

Carlos Norton was probably picking up a windows virus which wont affect your Mac. Norton is probably the reason your Mac is running slow (so ive heard) not iLife '08.

Yep norton nuked my mac mini one day. it was SO slow. Took it off running like a dream

 

[manyrains]

Yup, title of thread was when I was freaked out because i couldn't close safari or shut down properly- wasn't really getting the difference between pop up, malware, etc. I was thinking any of that fell in "virus" camp. I'm understanding more now.

 

[GGJstudios]

Yup, title of thread was when I was freaked out because i couldn't close safari or shut down properly- wasn't really getting the difference between pop up, malware, etc. I was thinking any of that fell in "virus" camp. I'm understanding more now.

FYI, you can change the thread title to something more appropriate like "strange pop-ups when visiting sites" by going to this link and double clicking the space to the right of the thread title (see red-circled area of attached photo).

 

[yoyo5280]

The posts here are long and I haven't had a chance to read all of them but, that pop up you get is the most anoying one ever. It basicly shrinks the size of your window down, and opens a popup saying your computer needs to be scanned for viruses. Its fake and if you click yes or no a PC spyware/virus may be installed. YOu don't have a PC.

FORCE QUIT SAFARI WHEN THIS HAPPENS!

Google and Download MACSCAN if you like.