01-30-2012, 06:26 PM

I have an IMac (love it!) linked to a Linksys router. WPA-2 protection, 25 character random password. 1 Ipad and 2 PC notebooks linked to the network.

So I get an e-mail from my friends at Comcast internet last nite telling me that I may have a "bot" and to hit the attached link to fix it. I call Comcast and they say its legit and that they detected a "Backdoor PHP" virus. Can't tell me which computer. So I hit the link and its an invitation to download Comcast's version of Norton anti-virus.

My virus scans on my PC's turn up nada. But Comcast/Norton DOES offer a free virus protection program for Macs that they encourage me to download.

I've done my share of searches on here and I understand that its a longshot that my Mac is infected. And I've had my battles with Norton's PC stuff in the past and ended up un-installing it..

So my question is . . . anybody dealt with this before? Would you download Norton for MAC even if its free? Anybody heard of a "bot" infecting a Mac?

01-30-2012, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by DenverBuff

I have an IMac (love it!) linked to a Linksys router. WPA-2 protection, 25 character random password. 1 Ipad and 2 PC notebooks linked to the network.

So I get an e-mail from my friends at Comcast internet last nite telling me that I may have a "bot" and to hit the attached link to fix it. I call Comcast and they say its legit and that they detected a "Backdoor PHP" virus. Can't tell me which computer. So I hit the link and its an invitation to download Comcast's version of Norton anti-virus.

My virus scans on my PC's turn up nada. But Comcast/Norton DOES offer a free virus protection program for Macs that they encourage me to download.

I've done my share of searches on here and I understand that its a longshot that my Mac is infected. And I've had my battles with Norton's PC stuff in the past and ended up un-installing it..

So my question is . . . anybody dealt with this before? Would you download Norton for MAC even if its free? Anybody heard of a "bot" infecting a Mac?

If you absolutely MUST install antivirus go with ClamAV. It's free and relatively harmless. Don't mess with Norton AV. It's big trouble.

And, FWIW, the chances that you are infected with a Bot virus are essentially zero.

01-30-2012, 07:40 PM

I call Comcast and they say its legit and that they detected a "Backdoor PHP" virus.

No such virus for the Mac. (Actually there are no viruses in the wild for the Mac, there is, however, some malware.) The folks at Comcast can barely spell "Mac" let alone know anything at all about OS X. Do as Razormac suggested and stay away from installing Norton as it's difficult to uninstall and causes more problems than it fixes.

01-31-2012, 08:29 AM

More than likely what happened was you hit a website or a torrent that had it running and Comcast's technology picked it up and where the traffic was going. Unless you are running a torrent or a web server, I would not worry about it. Try clamav, scan the PC and then delete it.

01-31-2012, 08:39 AM

IF you have a bot, it will be one of those Windows PCs. You can disconnect them from the network while you try to figure it out.

01-31-2012, 11:59 AM

Thanks for the insight guys. I've run AV searches twice on each machine with different programs and nothing turned up other than routine - and annoying -tracking cookies. Frankly, it's the method employed by Comcast that bugs me. They send people (and LOT of people are getting these e-mails) this "armageddon" e-mail about bots but don't provide any contact information other than a link to their website . . that invites you download a bunch Norton and Xfinity software. I would think that if they really thought that my machines were getting hit with viruses and bots that are jamming up their network, their tekkies would call me and walk me through it. Instead I get a "download Norton" invitation. No wonder people think these e-mails are spam.

And they are, in part. I have no doubt Comcast found something that tripwired their sensors. But it's the way they approach the solution that reeks of a marketing ploy. There are a slew of discussions on the Comcast boards on this topic.

01-31-2012, 04:12 PM

Let me suggest they would not known their elbows from ... from their other end.

As suggested run ClamXAV if you feel threatened. What you found was another marketing ploy to sell Nortons Nonsense.

02-01-2012, 10:11 PM

Are you sure that e-mail was from Comcast? It probably was - but I know I see some very well crafted phishing e-mails these days.

02-01-2012, 10:43 PM

There is a relevant xkcd comic about ISP's and only windows support, and a Linux user trying to get his internet fixed, but I can't find it anymore

But I did find this

Our local cable company is Comcast. I was having high-speed Internet installed at my apartment, and a Comcast guy showed up. He started spouting off technical jargon about "bouncing signals" and stuff that I knew was complete nonsense, all so he could buy time to have a smoke and talk on his phone.

I was starting to get very frustrated that he'd been at my house for a couple of hours and wasn't finished with the install. I'd specifically requested that he not install any software on my computer, because I knew it was not necessary for using the Internet. My roommate, however, had not made the same request.

After some time, my roommate had to leave, and I was left to supervise the Comcast guy. I went into my roommate's bedroom to find him scratching his head as he fiddled with her Mac. He was kinda sweaty and really mad and looked up at me and asked, "What kind of computer is this??"

"It's a Mac," I said.

"What kind of Windows are you runnin' on this thing??"

I tried telling him that it did not run Windows, and he refused to believe me. He got so frustrated that he actually ended up cussing at me and comparing me to his ex wife.

He got fired.

02-02-2012, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by BrianLachoreVPI

Are you sure that e-mail was from Comcast? It probably was - but I know I see some very well crafted phishing e-mails these days.

I called Comcast and they confirmed the e-mail was legit. But it's very weird looking and looks like spam.

02-02-2012, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by McYukon

There is a relevant xkcd comic about ISP's and only windows support, and a Linux user trying to get his internet fixed, but I can't find it anymore

But I did find this

You're looking for this

02-03-2012, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by sfam198

You're looking for this

Let me guess ... this was posted on the wall of your cubicle?

02-04-2012, 12:25 PM

Lol, no but it should be...*print*

02-04-2012, 12:46 PM

Although I agree that it's unlikely that your Mac is running a bot, they DO indeed exist for Mac OS X. The most prevalent one accompanied a pirated copy of iWork/iLife '09 (although I can't recall the name off the top).

Aside from getting a "second opinion" scan with a dedicated spyware tool like MalwareBytes (on the PCs), I would actually recommend doing a scan with the trialware version of MacScan, just to be on the safe side.

02-05-2012, 10:51 AM

Same thing happened to me. Change your network name and password. Try Sophos for Mac it's free or clamav.