Keep in mind that the update does not apply to Mac OS X 10.5 and earlier, since Apple no longer supports Java updates for these older operating systems. For these systems, it is recommended to disable Java. Apple has released this article for doing this in Safari and has references for disabling in Chrome and Firefox as well. If you need to have Java enabled, please make sure you have an antivirus product installed.

Not only is it important to make sure you have antivirus protection installed, but you also must make sure it is up to date. If you have Norton Antivirus 11 installed, but you let the subscription expire, then you’re at risk. Either pay for the update, or switch one of the free antivirus product we recommend like Sophos Antivirus Mac Home Edition or ClamXav 2. If you do switch antivirus applications, make sure you uninstall the one you’re currently using first. If you are not sure how to do this, check the antivirus product’s web site for removal instructions.

There have also been a couple of tools made available to check for and remove the Flashback trojan from your system by well-known antivirus software firms Symantec and F-Secure.

So are the days of not-running-an-antivirus-because-Macs-don’t-get-viruses over? I believe so. On the Windows PC side of the business, I have seen my share and have performed many clean-ups of viruses from systems that were lacking in protection. As the number of Apple computers continues to increase in the world, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be those nefarious folks out there that will figure out a way to get into your system. Just like with your PC cronies out there, your pristine Apple computer also has financial data, contacts, email addresses and the like that some third-world syndicate would love to get hold of and make a profit from at the very least.

So What Should I Do?

1. Make sure your Java is up to date by running Apple Software Update:

1. Choose System Preferences from the Apple Menu.
2. Choose Software Update from the View menu.
3. Click Update Now.
4. Select the items you want to install, then click Install.
5. Enter an Admin user name and password.
6. After the update is complete, restart the computer if necessary.

2.  For those of you running Mac OS X 10.5 and earlier:
Apple is no longer providing security updates for Mac OS X 10.5 and earlier, so you will need to disable Java for your web browser. Here are quick instructions on how to disable Java in the more popular browsers:

Firefox:

1.     Click on the Firefox drop-down menu.
2.     Click on Preferences, then the Content tab.
3.     Uncheck the ‘Enable Javascript’ check box.
4.     Close the Preferences window.

Safari:

1.     Click on the Safari drop-down menu.
2.     Click on Preferences, then the Security tab.
3.     Uncheck the ‘Enable Java’ check box.
4.     Close the Preferences window.

Google Chrome:

1.     Click on the Chrome drop-down menu.
2.     Click on Preferences, then select ‘Under The Hood’ in the sidebar.
3.     In the Privacy section, click on Content Settings.
4.     Under the JavaScript section, click on the ‘Do not allow any site to run JavaScript’ radio button.
5.     Close the Chrome window.

How Do I Know If My Mac Is Infected?
We recommend updating your anti-virus software definitions on your Mac. For existing customers running ClamXav, launch the app from your Applications folder and click on the Update Definitions icon. Once the update is complete, click on the Start Scan icon to run a full scan of your system.

If you do not have an anti-virus program installed, we recommend using a good Anti-Virus program like Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition, or ClamXav 2, which are free for non-commercial use.

If you are infected, there is no automatic removal tool Flashback at the moment. You will need to contact us at 919-266-9499 to schedule an in-shop or on-site appointment for the removal of this malware.