Some video iPods infected with Windows virus
Apple Computer this week said that a small number of its updated fifth-generation iPods were shipped to customers with a virus that could affect users of Microsoft's Windows operating system.
"We recently discovered that a small number -- less than 1 percent -- of the Video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006 left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus," the company wrote in a bulletin on its support website.
"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."
Apple said its iPod nano, iPod shuffle and Mac OS X operating system 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," the Cupertino, Calif.-based iPod maker said.
In order to remove the Windows virus, Apple recommends using a free trial of one of the listed anti-virus software packages, which include default settings that should detect and remove it.
"After installing an anti-virus application, you should attach your Video iPod to your Windows computer and run the anti-virus program," Apple said. "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."
Once the virus has been removed, the company recommends that customers use iTunes 7 to easily restore the software on their newly purchased video iPod.
Because the Windows virus propagates via mass storage devices, Apple recommends that users also scan any mass storage devices that they have recently attached to their 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 company said. "The Video iPod can then be used on a Windows computer without concern."
"We recently discovered that a small number -- less than 1 percent -- of the Video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006 left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus," the company wrote in a bulletin on its support website.
"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."
Apple said its iPod nano, iPod shuffle and Mac OS X operating system 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," the Cupertino, Calif.-based iPod maker said.
In order to remove the Windows virus, Apple recommends using a free trial of one of the listed anti-virus software packages, which include default settings that should detect and remove it.
"After installing an anti-virus application, you should attach your Video iPod to your Windows computer and run the anti-virus program," Apple said. "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."
Once the virus has been removed, the company recommends that customers use iTunes 7 to easily restore the software on their newly purchased video iPod.
Because the Windows virus propagates via mass storage devices, Apple recommends that users also scan any mass storage devices that they have recently attached to their 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 company said. "The Video iPod can then be used on a Windows computer without concern."
Comments
accidental marketing.
You think about this, that's pretty lame. How did this virus get onto the HD? It seems like Apple should have good enough security on any machine these things are being connected to for formatting that this should never happen. Knowing the vulnerability of Windows, they ought to have the latest and greatest virus protection installed.
Knowing how iPods are all made in factories oversea operated by contractors, Apple probably doesn't have much to do with the virus infection. They don't run the factories themselves after all.
If you visited factories in China, you'd know it could be a difficult task to control every aspects of the production line. You can dictate how parts are assembled and how products are tested, but probably not down to the details, like what kind of anti-virus software those computers run and how often they are being updated.
Knowing how iPods are all made in factories oversea operated by contractors, Apple probably doesn't have much to do with the virus infection. They don't run the factories themselves after all.
If you visited factories in China, you'd know it could be a difficult task to control every aspects of the production line. You can dictate how parts are assembled and how products are tested, but probably not down to the details, like what kind of anti-virus software those computers run and how often they are being updated.
I can't agree with that. It seems like a pretty simple thing to write into a contract. If you are going to have to connect the HD's to a computer (which I assume you need to do to get the software onto them), that computer needs to be guaranteed free from viruses.
You think about this, that's pretty lame. How did this virus get onto the HD? It seems like Apple should have good enough security on any machine these things are being connected to for formatting that this should never happen. Knowing the vulnerability of Windows, they ought to have the latest and greatest virus protection installed.
Remember that as Apple said, iPods, and everything else is mde by contract manufacturers. When everything is not done in-house, these problems are more likely to occur.
I bought a Dell for my company ten years ago that came with a virus. It took us several hours before we realised why we were having problems setting it up. (And yes, they are MADE by Dell.)
I called Dell, who promptly denied that any such thing came from them. After being moved up several layers of support over two days, it was finally admitted that machines had gone out with one.
But, it still took another entire day to get them to admit that they KNEW about it well before our machine had shipped. Finally they gave us a password for their site that contained a special bit of software designed to remove this very virus from their machines that had been shipped with it!
Four days of arguing, when they could have simply said: "Yes, and we're sorry, here's the password that will get you what you need to fix it."
MS also once shipped a disk with their OS that has a virus, and several other software companies over the years shipped programs with virii.
It does happen.
It's how they handle it that matters!
I can't agree with that. It seems like a pretty simple thing to write into a contract. If you are going to have to connect the HD's to a computer (which I assume you need to do to get the software onto them), that computer needs to be guaranteed free from viruses.
You can write anything you want into a contract, but as any lawyer will tell you, that doesn't mean that all the requirements will be fulfilled.
The contracts are not there to guarantee that proper procedures will always be followed, but to give a legal basis for a lawsuit later, if it is found that they were not.
It's the threat of the suit that keeps others in line, hopefully.
"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," the Cupertino, Calif.-based iPod maker said.
Didn't Steve Jobs say before that he didn't want to paint a big red target on Apple's back and attract the wrong kind of attention?
It does happen.
It's how they handle it that matters!
I'd have to say that so far Apple is handling it very poorly. Making a jab at the Windows OS just sounds lame when they're the ones with egg on their face. Also, this statement provides no info for what will be done for those affected by this virus.
You can write anything you want into a contract, but as any lawyer will tell you, that doesn't mean that all the requirements will be fulfilled.
The contracts are not there to guarantee that proper procedures will always be followed, but to give a legal basis for a lawsuit later, if it is found that they were not.
It's the threat of the suit that keeps others in line, hopefully.
Certainly. I am a former law student myself. I'm saying I hope that they weren't stupid enough not to negotiate that into the contract. Though their attitude reflected in this statement makes me doubt their forethought on this matter. If Apple didn't put this into the contract, then they bear a good share of the blame in this.
I'd have to say that so far Apple is handling it very poorly. Making a jab at the Windows OS just sounds lame when they're the ones with egg on their face. Also, this statement provides no info for what will be done for those affected by this virus.
That's the question, isn't it? Dell did little for me, and it was a bigger problem. Very few used virus protection back then, as compared to now. And we couldn't even get to the point of installing it.
Apple probably heard of a problem, but didn't know if it was real. Then they found out it was. How long after they knew there really was a problem were they announcing it, and the solution?
Was it a temporary problem that the manufacturer found and corrected? Did Apple have to intercede?
Does Apple have the serial numbers of those with infected iPods? I would think they would, if it happened serially in the plant. Do they offer those people anything? Should people have to prove something was lost first? Was it enough just to be inconvenienced?
If they offer compensation, what do they offer?
It can get complicated.
I don't think they should have mentioned Windows in the announcement, however.
Certainly. I am a former law student myself. I'm saying I hope that they weren't stupid enough not to negotiate that into the contract. Though their attitude reflected in this statement makes me doubt their forethought on this matter. If Apple didn't put this into the contract, then they bear a good share of the blame in this.
My wife, who is a lawyer, and has dealt with Apple through CitiGroup, where she works, and handles all of the computer contracts, says that Apple has a very good legal team. They know what they want, and are clear about it.
My wife, who is a lawyer, and has dealt with Apple through CitiGroup, where she works, and handles all of the computer contracts, says that Apple has a very good legal team. They know what they want, and are clear about it.
I'd have assumed that they would have covered this. I'm just saying I hope they weren't naive just because of their lack of experience with the Windows OS and the multitude of viruses written for it.
I can't agree with that. It seems like a pretty simple thing to write into a contract. If you are going to have to connect the HD's to a computer (which I assume you need to do to get the software onto them), that computer needs to be guaranteed free from viruses.
Hopefully it IS in the contract. But contracts don't magically stop problems from happening. They just pass on the cost of mistakes to the factory, things like that. I'm sure the factory will be penalized, but that doens't fix the ipods.
And I think many preloaded hard drives get loaded up with data before they are installed - it's possible that a few iPods got connected to a computer after they were finished just for a smoke test.
I hope apple is doing for something for people who have the bad units, but I don't necessarily think the article needs to spell that out. I am a little surprised the article doesn't say to contact apple and report it, that's disappointing.
I'm a HUGE Apple fan. I'm glad they addressed the issue that they created immediately (that's good), but there's no reason to knock Windows (that's bad). Let Windows speak for itself--because it does.
Hopefully it IS in the contract. But contracts don't magically stop problems from happening. They just pass on the cost of mistakes to the factory, things like that. I'm sure the factory will be penalized, but that doens't fix the ipods.
There's no magic involved. Knowing you'll have to pay for a mistake makes mistakes less likely, IF the the mistakes are due to negligence.