I think I have a virus. What should I do?
You may be able to find and remove it with the free open source ClamXav. If you know what infected your Mac, free removal instructions are sometimes posted online. Do a search and pick a reputable website like MacWorld, CNET, or Symantec. There are thousands of scam sites that will claim your PC has a virus and offer "free anti-virus" software (often rogue software that can further infect your computer). Just remember there is NO way that a website can analyze your Mac and tell you that you have a virus (you'd have to install software on your system to do that). So be careful and only visits websites you know.
Intego VirusBarrier tends to be easier to use with more up-to-date virus definitions. If you buy a software box—the virus definitions that come with the product are probably already out-of-date. You must download the latest update for the application you bought. Updates are released online every month; new shrink-wrapped boxes are usually many months old. Install the application, update it, and run it.
Published March 24, 2009 12:00 PM
Last modified on June 17, 2009 5:05 PM
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