If a pc and a mac are on the same router, and the pc gets a virus or spyware - does it affect the mac too?

Question

I'm asking because I'm not very I.T. savvy.
Thank you in advance, people!

Answer 1

It shouldn't, unless the Virus was downloaded into both systems. I do not know a lot about Mac but I know if you are running the new SPK 2 with full updates on windows that on the security aspect, both computers by default are protected.
Most routers have a built in Firewall to help protect , but you should be running an Anti Virus software and make sure its definitions are fully up-to-date. Run a virus scan on both systems to make sure and be safe.
You can also go to Microsoft and run their free Malicious software removal tool for free. here is the link for their free tool. Not sure if it works on mac though.

BILL S that made sense, I didnt think of that. Though what if a virus was to hide into the memory or it was designed to re-write files ? would it still not affect a Mac OS.

leave thumbs up if this helped you out at all.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The virus shouldn't affect the Mac because they use different Operating Systems. But as more people get Macs, there are becoming more viruses that will affect them. The idiots that put those things out always go for the biggest groups.

Ron

Answer 4

The mac international is fairly like a computer different than for you not often have administration over its blunders and malfunctions, only like the purchase a sony over a jvc, reason its a sony. Mac's suck! actually conversing, in the experience that your searching for moving documents all that works and its in comparison to you could not positioned abode windows xp on a mac and function that artwork only great. Your eager to alter from a computer to a mac is like comparing a Your extensive abode to a small performance. It breaks, stable luck. You needless to say don't understand the benefit of having extremely intense high quality computer, it may do precisely as lots if not extra then a mac can, and you will additionally deploy mac's application or OS X on your computer besides, so if its the SW your searching for only purchase the SW the complete gadget which fees are two times as much because it different best evaluation. Why do it to your self, microsoft is only great, in case you question me its extra helpful! I labored at a mac, and it continuously comes up which you will possibly desire to reset safari, and save all you bookmarks and what not, its not extra helpful then a computer, its made by apple who not in undemanding terms does not care approximately their product working with different products, they cut back its use with different products. stable luck! i'm hoping you spend that nicely earned money on some thing else and not a mac.

Answer 5

Most malware must be designed to attack weaknesses in specific operating systems. Most malware is written to attack Windows, although there are some (not many, but growing) written to attack the Mac OS.

There is a hacker group that has started (as of today) publishing a Mac weakness a day and will do it for the next 30 days. These are flaws in the Mac OS that can be attacked to infect Mac's. The revelations should ensure that more Malware will be written to attack and infect Mac's in the near future.

This site has an article about it:

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196800443

Answer 6

Most of the time no because a virus for a windows based computer is written in a different code than a virus for a MAC.

Answer 7

The *correct* answer is that, although it is unlikely to happen, it is perfectly possible.

Contrary to popular belief, there are thousands of Mac viruses. There are also whole classes of viruses that work on multiple platforms (i.e., both PCs and Macs) - for instance macro viruses (for Word, Excel, etc.).

Mac-specific spyware exists too, although I'm not aware of any existing cross-platform spyware. It's perfectly possible to make it, though.

Answer 8

if the mac is not running or not connected (minus router) to the pc than no the mac will not get infected.
while macs are not as prone to virus's there are many mac virus's out there, just small compared to windows pc's.

Answer 9

It depends on the type of virus if the virus works on pc and mac they might both get a virus.

Answer 10

I don't think so. As far as I'm aware, Macs currently don't have viruses available. You should be good with your Mac.