- Servers
- Desktops
- Laptops
- Tablet PCs
- PDAs
- Smart phones
- Digital cameras
- Camcorders
- Printers & multifunction devices
- Scanners
- Copiers
- Monitors & projectors
- Hard drives & burners
- Peripherals
- Productivity
- Accounting & finance
- Data management
- Graphics & publishing
- Web publishing
- Operating systems
- Security & utilities
- Downloads & trial software
- Handheld software
- Instant messaging
- Cell phones & plans
- Voice over Internet
- Telephones
- Routers & gateways
- Wireless networking
- Network adapters
- Internet access
- Web hosting
- Domain search
- Hotspot Zone
- Desktops
- Laptops
- Servers and storage
- PDAs
- Cell phones
- Monitors & projectors
- Printers
- Networking and wireless
- Security and utility software
- Productivity software
- Access, hosting, and services
- All business buying guides
Rob Vamosi's
award-winning
column on Internet threats and how to counter them
Delivered Mondays
CNET Security Center: Your complete source of antivirus and Internet security information.
Mac OS X users have their first virus to contend with; fortunately, it's not a major threat.
By Robert Vamosi (February 17, 2006)
What it does: Spreads from one Mac OS X machine to another via iChat and may cause some Mac apps not to run
Means of transmission: iChat
How to recognize: Contains a file named latestpics.tgz
Who is at risk: Mac OS X users
How it works
To become infected with Leap, Mac OS X users will first be asked to open a file pretending to be images from the upcoming OS X release, code-named Leopard. The victims are sent via iChat a file named latestpics.tgz, which, when opened, contains two files: ._latestpics.
Ironically, due to an error in the internal code and not by design, once latestpics.tgz is opened, some Mac applications will fail to run.
Prevention
If asked to accept a file via iChat with the name latestpics.tgz, refuse. By not accepting the file, you can avoid infection.
Removal
A few antivirus software companies have updated their signature files to include this Mac OS X virus. This will stop the infection upon contact and in some cases will remove an active infection from your system. For more information, see McAfee, Sophos, and Symantec.
For up-to-the-minute coverage of this virus, see News.com.
