[G4] Virus and Mac OS X?

[Tony Johansen]

On 12/12/2005 9:00 AM, "Kristen" <kriss at pobox.mtaonline.net> wrote:

> I recieved an email damon message this morning stating all the messages that
> bounced due to closed mailboxes and do to a virus. So I have to wonder where
> this virus came from? I thought a Mac OS X can't run a virus since it's
> Darwin linux. At least at the core. I know it can't be my Linux box since it
> will not run a virus at all. That leaves the Windows XP my son uses, but the
> emails are returned at my email addy.
> 
> So let me ask, Will the Mac OS X (Tiger) run a virus and automatically run the
> email program? BTW, the Mac was in sleep mode. I don't believe it's the Mac.
> 
> Thank you all!!
> 
> Kristen


Kristen,
This is a confusing situation for us all. Many very expert people tell us
that there are practically no viruses that can infect a Mac. They are
correct in precisely that, but it seems to me that the issue is more
complicated than that.

I ran my eMac with out anti-virus for a few months. Within a short time I
was getting spam attacks that appear to be coming from my own computer. I
was advised by the experts here that the problem was coming not from my
machine but from someone else who had me in their address book.

Even if that were so, I still ended up with an IP black listing for spam,
obviously, the international body concerned thought the spam was coming from
me. So I installed Intego AV and it found... No viruses. Then I installed a
router. The problem stopped instantly, and with 5 computers including a PC,
it was sensible for sharing the cable anyway.

It does appear that viruses can be a problem for you even when they don't
operate directly on your machine. It appears a virus on another machine was
somehow using my address to do it's dirty work, and I was getting blamed for
it. That would have been a disaster if my hosting service had cancelled my
account as it could do according to the agreement with them.

So, yes it is quite possible for the problem to be on the Win XP even when
it looks like its to do with your machine. I would start the Virus search
there. And it's also possible to be in another machine where you are in the
address book. That is difficult to find, and a logical step may be to get
your machines behind a router if you haven't got one already.

Best of luck,
Tony
http://www.tonyjohansen.com
A Life Of Art