Macs Withstand Vancouver Virus Attack
2:48 pm, February 2nd, 2009, Lonnie Lazar
This is why we use Macs. Well, it’s one reason, anyway.
There’s always a lot of talk in the blogosphere how one day Macs will no longer be impervious to computer viruses and malware, but every time there’s a real-world example of a computer network going down due to some kind of security issue or DOS attack, it seems PCs are the machines that get hit and Macs are the machines that keep going and going.
A computer virus hit the Vancouver school district on January 7, forcing 10,000 PCs off-line so district IT staff could wipe them clean, an arduous undertaking that, three weeks later, remains unfinished.
An online student forum by Point Grey secondary students identified the virus as Win32.Krap.b trojan, a bug that affects mostly Windows operating systems, shutting down computers as soon as users try to start them. Vancouver School Board spokesman David Weir said each of the district’s Windows machines were shut down, taken off the network and are being individually scanned and repaired as necessary. The project has caused major disruption throughout the school system, and frustration among teachers and students alike.
The report in the Vancouver Sun describing the situation noted that a Macintosh computer lab funded by the Parents Advisory Group at one school in the district was unaffected by the problem. Smart parents of the kids at that school.
Via Edible Apple
Posted by Lonnie Lazar in Macintosh, News | Comment on this article
Google Earth just added a beautifully textured 3D Vancouver and that’s the best pic you could get? lol.
Jay, on February 2nd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Totally preventable. Clearly their I.T. Dept. is under-equipped. Nerds On Site specializes in preventing businesses from experiencing this. We’re all over Vancouver as well as North America, & the World. 1-877-My-NERDS
Jason, on February 2nd, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Totally preventable – I agree. By using all Macintoshes in the first place.
Then we would not need to use the services of Nerds on Site in the first place.
Independent Mac IT consultants – Apple Consultants Network – consultants.apple.com – 3 in Vancouver.
Ian Procter, on February 2nd, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Affects mostly Windows operating systems? That should read: Only.
Partners in Grime, on February 2nd, 2009 at 9:42 pm
IT support in school systems is generally given very little to work with and subject to often archaic policy. Its gotta be a lame job cleaning those up…
People in glass houses… http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/10/stay-the-hell-a.html
Wedge, on February 3rd, 2009 at 1:16 pm