“From iPods to navigation systems, some of today’s hottest gadgets are landing on store shelves with some unwanted extras from the factory — pre-installed viruses that steal passwords, open doors for hackers and make computers spew spam,” Jordan Robertson reports for The Associated Press.
“Computer users have been warned for years about virus threats from downloading Internet porn and opening suspicious e-mail attachments. Now they run the risk of picking up a digital infection just by plugging a new gizmo into their PCs,” Robertson reports.
“Recent cases include some of the most widely used tech devices: Apple iPods, digital picture frames sold by Target and Best Buy stores and TomTom navigation gear,” Robertson reports.
The full Associated Press article, headlined “Ipods with a surprise – a built-in virus for your computer,” here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers too numerous to mention for the heads up.]
And now for some sorely needed perspective. Please note the date and the number of affected units and contrast those facts with the AP story and headline:
From Apple.com, Tuesday, October 17, 2006:
We recently discovered that a small number – less than 1% – of the Video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006 left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus. This known virus affects only Windows computers, and up to date anti-virus software which is included with most Windows computers should detect and remove it. So far we have seen less than 25 reports concerning this problem. The iPod nano, iPod shuffle and Mac OS X are not affected, and all Video iPods now shipping are virus free. As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it.
How to remove the Windows virus
RavMonE.exe is a known Windows virus and up to date anti-virus software using the default settings should detect and remove it. If you do not have anti-virus software on your Windows computer, we recommend that you install one of the many available programs. Here are a few trial programs that can remove this Windows virus which you can download free of charge:
• Microsoft Live OneCare Safety Scanner – free application
• Microsoft Live OneCare – 90 day trial version
• McAfee – 30 day trial version
• Symantec Norton Anti-Virus – 30 day trial version
After installing an anti-virus application, you should attach your Video iPod to your Windows computer and run the anti-virus program. If your Windows system is infected with this virus, an alert will be triggered and inform you that the virus has been detected and either quarantined or removed. You should then use iTunes 7 to easily restore the software on your newly purchased Video iPod.
Because this Windows virus propagates via mass storage devices, we recommend that you scan any mass storage devices that you have recently attached to your Windows computers such as external hard drives, digital cameras with removable media, and USB flash drives.
While this Windows virus does not affect Mac OS X or the iPod itself, Mac customers can use iTunes 7 to easily restore the software on their newly purchased Video iPod to ensure that it does not carry this Windows virus. The Video iPod can then be used on a Windows computer without concern.
Source: http://www.apple.com/support/windowsvirus/
I remember when this came out originally. Why in the hell are they talking about it again? Slow news day? Shorting Apple’s stock and you have been getting crushed in the last week or two? Got an ax to grind?
Suck it MAC dorks!!!™
(See Jim Cramer post for explanation)
Well, I suppose no news is good news.
So less than 1% of iPods in a month 2 years ago is…..4 or 5 iPods?
Ooo let me be more clear, < 1% of Video iPods….
It would make all the difference.
And hey!
We are only talking about Windows users being affected.
And in other current news from 2006, the Zune stands to overtake the iPod as the dominant digital music player reports a Microsoft spokesperson.
Oh, and Jim Cramer is bullish on Apple. And not. And is. And not.
Anything new about iPhone in 2006?
MDN: you forgot to include “Mac Users Unaffected” in the headline
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
Aren’t there something north of 200K viri for the PC?
Man, who’d accept that?
Dear Lord, please make Windows go away – Amen.
Someone in the media or in power want’s Apple stock below 100 so they can jump in and ride it back to 200 and beyond.
Such poor reporting. Couldn’t find any bad news about Apple in 2008 so they had to go back 2 years?
Sad sad day for the AP. Then again it’s a sad day everyday for the AP.
Control the headlines, control the country.
The article should have begun with the words “Fewer than 1%” rather than “Less than 1%.”
“Less” is used for less milk, less water, less sugar, when the sungular dscribes a large amount. But with individual items, the correct term is “Fewer.”
I just had to response to that article. I can’t believe the audacity of that writer to even use that tag as his headline. No journalistic integrity whatsoever nowadays.
Just to clarify, the writers don’t pick the headlines. The editors of whatever publication chooses to carry the story write the headlines.
It is incorrect to assume the “writer” picked the headline. Writers don’t pick headlines–editors assembling the pages do. On AP’s own site and other using the AP article there is no mention of ipods in the headline.
Although MDN claims to be linking to the “AP articled headlined…” they actually are linking to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Pioneer Press, with the Pioneer Press’ headline rather than AP’s.
All this gab comes from a recent AP story where they checked out gadgets made in China and found a bunch came with viruses. For me this is proof positive Symantec and McAfee have finally outsourced their virus production and distribution to China.
Just my $0.02
BUT! There should have been none
Apple is slipping, ever so slightly…
Just like introducing cheap glossy screens, integrated graphics and so on.
Shame on Apple.
Come on, MDN. Sometimes you just create conflict where none exists.
In the article:
“Apple disclosed the most information, saying the virus that infected a small number of video iPods in 2006 came from a PC used to test compatibility with the gadgets’ software.”
See? There, they said it was a small number, thus providing “much-needed perspective”. But that just isn’t enough for you, is it?
Ahh thanks for the clarifications guys. I wonder how the writer feels about that? It can get frustrating for them I bet.
There should have been MORE viruses. Shut down all windoze users. Now that they are hooked, force them to switch to Macs if they want to continue using their iPods.
BTW, I have learned all my business strategies from Microsoft.
Cubert…Suck it MAC dorks needs a revamp since it is a new thread. What about
Dorks Suck MACS…..
@Buster,
Just trying to steal the trolls’ ammo. If everyone puts that at the end of their posts, it will leave them confused, and they will slink back off to the rock they crawled out from. I plan on putting it at the bottom of every post from now on.
Suck it MAC dorks!!!™
@Cubert….don’t mind me. Am suffering from being under a bazillion feet of frikken snow so I get weird ideas.
Need to see some green grass……..
Yep, trying to pull out of their ass, more bad news for Apple. Need to send these butt heads Emails regarding how do they keep their jobs using such distorted or outdated information/titles.
ap@telecom-digest.org
@ Cubert
Careful, or it will loose its effect. I just read a book with the word ‘stygian’ in it 3 times. That’s a word you only get to use once in a book.
Well, both CNN and FoxNews have both picked up on the story. :30 stories that basically only mentioned or showed the iPod. Modern day journalism at it’s finest.
sry, ‘lose’