1 malware = how bad?

After recently responding to free trials for streaming movies/downloads similar to Netflix (just enter email and password), I notice sites that used to remember my IP address i.e. FB, amazon, yahoo finance now no longer do, even after logging in again. Is this just a small irritation (have to manually log in to FB EVERY time) or does it have larger malicious scope?

Not much info to go on. Which browser are you using? And it's probably not malware.

I'm using Safari 5.0.6 and Snow Leopard OS. I had Mac 3 yrs. w/no problems, but when I had a PC there was something called a hijacker that directed my google searches to other sites. This seems similar. A finance site used to provide me a watch list of stocks automatically when I went there--no longer, even after re-entering a list. FB used to go right to my account, now I have to log in manually every time. Amazon would have my name at the top of the page when I went there-no longer. Sure seems like a bug.

That's not a hi-jacking problem. Safari maintains a list of log in information for sites in its preferences: Safari, Preferences, Autofill, and Passwords. If you've recently reset Safari you may have wiped out all your previous information you had stored in those preferences. That would explain why you have to provide your username and password again. Other information is stored in cookies. That too would be wiped out during a reset.

It wasn't autofill, more so cookies. These sites would automatically recognize my IP address when I visited and customize the info to my account...no password log in necessary. If it's just a matter of the cookies being deleted then I guess they will come back over time. I was worried that the minor glich may have other security issues lurking. BTW is there consesus on best anti-virus for Mac? I noticr Virus Barrier Express is free.

PS I did have to force a shut down when Safari froze during a movie in full screen mode...no way to escape back to the menu interface so shut it down. That may have reset things.

Most of use here recommend using ClamXav which is designed to work with OS X. It's open source and free.

Thanks so much for the educated referral. I've been so happy with my Mac's stability and virus resistant OS, but now that Apple prevails in the online world, maybe it's more of a target.

It may well be a target but aster over ten years and still clean speaks for the strength of Unix. What chscag mentioned is if you have reset or cleared Safari, all passwords etc and wiped and you have to enter them again for each and every site.

It sounds to me like "Private Browsing Mode" was enabled. Go to the menu for Safari, click Safari, then Private Browsing. Does it say you are in it? It'll be checked if so.

EDIT: on my version of Safari, if you are in Private Browsing Mode, it will say PRIVATE up there in the address bar.