How do I scan and remove a bot virus?
What makes you think you have a bot virus?
What makes you think you have a bot virus?
Our ISP ( Rogers) contacted me today to say they were disconnecting my Internet due to security issues and sent me an email that I have a Bot virus. We used to have an old PC that has not been turned on nor connected to the Internet for at least two months ( it was rarely used and functioned poorly). I thought it might be related to that computer but the ISP insists its due to recent activity. My MacBook is running snow leopard and is generally fine.
Thoughts?
If your Snow Leopard system is fully up-to-date (ie, you have allowed Software Update to install updates when it wants to), then you're not infected with any malware.
This sort of thing is unfortunately very common. ISPs use methods to identify bot infections that are prone to error, so this may very well be nothing more than a false positive.
Alternately, there could really be a bot operating over your network. Sounds like your MacBook is the only device that should be on your network. However, if you are using a wireless network that does not require a password, you could have a stowaway on your network. Someone nearby who has an infected machine may be using your network, and thus getting you in trouble. You need to lock down your network with a password immediately! See your wireless router's documentation, and be sure to use WPA2 encryption.
If your network already requires a password, another possibility might be an infected Android device. If you have any Android tablets or phones connected to your network, they need to be examined carefully. Android devices are at very high risk of malware these days... higher, actually, than Windows machines. (Note that if you have Apple iOS devices, those are not susceptible to malware unless you have jailbroken them.)
amandarobins wrote:
Our ISP ( Rogers) contacted me today to say they were disconnecting my Internet due to security issues and sent me an email that I have a Bot virus. We used to have an old PC that has not been turned on nor connected to the Internet for at least two months ( it was rarely used and functioned poorly). I thought it might be related to that computer but the ISP insists its due to recent activity. My MacBook is running snow leopard and is generally fine.
To add some detail to a previous reply or two...
There is no way that an ISP to scan into your system for malware. Not without adding tools onto your system to monitor it. The ISP can certainly see your internet traffic and particularly your unencrypted traffic and potentially which network ports are open on your computers (if you're not running your own firewall between the Rogers device and your private network), but the ISP cannot see onto your OS X system itself.
One potential trigger for these cases — if this mail message is legitimately from Rogers, and is not somebody that's phishing and simply trying to get you to download and install some malware — can involve an open WiFi network, or a WiFi with a weak (and compromised) WPA2 password. There might be a different (and potentially unauthorized) system generating the network traffic the ISP is detecting. If you're using WiFi, make sure your network is locked down with WPA or preferably WPA2, and that you've picked a reliable (and moderately long) password.
I wouldn't operate an open WiFi network, and wouldn't bother with using WEP encryption. (WEP is effectively an open network these days.) Use WPA2, particularly if your WiFi device supports that.
I'm having the same issue, except I'm running Maverick. My wireless is password protected. Is there a virus remover for this?
If your internet service provider is telling you that you have a virus, the answer is the same as the ones already given.
However, I'm guessing you may have run afoul of a tech support scam, in which you see a pop-up in your web browser telling you that you're infected with a "virus" and giving a phone number to call for "support." These have become quite common since this topic was last active more than a year ago. This is a fake, there is no virus. For more information, see:
(Fair disclosure: I may receive compensation from links to my sites, TheSafeMac.com and AdwareMedic.com.)
No, just finished with tech support for my ISP. They stated that they are seeing traffic with bot signature under my email. They suggested I simply change the password.
I have bots and want to get rid of t
>I have bots and want to get rid of t
Read the above replies, and follow their suggestions.
Otherwise provide more information on why you think you have a virus.
how do I scan and remove a bot virus?
