will a virus be transferred to the time machine when the computer backs up
iMac 21.5″, macOS 15.7
Yes... but since there are no viruses that affect macOS, you ought to explain the reason for your question.
Avoid The XY Problem. If something is amiss with your Mac, explain.
Malware or Adware might be transferred when using Time Machine Backup Utilities
Adware and Malware can affect computers and are often downloaded from “shady” websites or developers who inject them into downloads.
These types of Bad Actor Software is usually installed in the User Account that was used to install it
Time Machine Backup will backup the user's User Account ( Home Folder )
Source: User tip from @Kurt Lang
What is malware? - Apple Community
Can a virus be backed up to Time Machine?
