[brucecampbell]

Just a quick question to one that knows. I downloaded the trial version of Intego's VirusBarrier which scans for viruses but won't repair them (until you pay). It found 2 viruses in the following 2 files and I was wondering if it's safe to just trash the files rather than buy the software - or are they important? Files are - classload.jar-7d9192de-58a85d19.zip
and - archive1213.jar-62436eca-750d0442.zip Thanks!

[griffman]

In what directory do those files exist?
-rob.

[jayman30]

These are well known Windows malware that have been around quite a while, to my knowledge they can't harm your Mac unless your running Windows on it.
I have personally dealt with Classload.jar before, it is used to hi-jack Windows Internet Browers usually for spyware and adware purposes.
It is usually installed on Windows by a variety of trojan horse programs or via a malicious java applet installed on a web site. Although it may have come into your system via an infected email attachment from a Windows machine too. In any case it cannot harm OSX.
Hope this helps,
jayman30

[brucecampbell]

Thanks for the replies. Rob - I'm not sure what directory they were from because they're sitting in my trash bin right now, waiting to be emptied if it's safe to do so. I do remember they had something to do with Java. Re: Classload.jar - jayman, it's good to know it's not dangerous. Still, if it's safe to do so I'd like to trash these file for peace of mind. Can I?
Bruce

[mdawson]

Yes, you can trash the files. As jayman30 has already stated, the viruses detected on your Mac are Windows malware and will not affect your Mac. To date there is no malware that attacks OS X. There were scares earlier this year and nothing came of them. The only real threat to the Mac right now are the malware developers that report on proof-of-concept malware as if it is a real virus/Trojan horse/worm/spyware in the wilda ploy to get Mac users to buy their products, or so-called security experts spreading FUD about security holes that have likely been plugged. At worst, many of the reported security issues in OS X are not exploited because they are unknown until these experts publicize the problem. Both parties were taking advantage of consumer ignorance and the Intel transition; malware is a Windows problem not a x86 architectural issue.
For the foreseeable future, it is unlikely that any viable malware will exist for OS X let alone become widespread. The inherent operability of *NIX OSes makes it such that the user would have to intentionally infect their system. Windows allows software to be downloaded, installed and executed on a Wintel PC without the users knowledge or consent. OS X is a permissions-based OS built upon UNIX so even if malware somehow finds a way onto your hard drive the probability of that malware successfully installing and executing without the user permitting it to happen is nearly 0. That is not to say that OS X is 100 percent invulnerable, no operating system is, but that infecting the system would be d/forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gifmn difficult. Ironically, but not surprising, the only easy way to attack a modern Mac is via the means by which the vast majority of viruses existed on pre-OS X Macs: through Microsofts applications. Of course, most Mac users and even Windows users know better than to open Microsoft documents with macros from untrusted sources.

[brucecampbell]

Thanks MDawson for your explanation. I will delete! Cheers!