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Virex 6.1
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McAfee
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McAfee
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Anti-Vir for Macintosh Virex 6.1
It saved my bacon recently, when I picked up SevenDust aka 666 after installing a program I had downloaded from MacHutt [Adobe Home Publisher] - Disinfectant couldn't detect it, but Virex did (using the included 2007 defs).
- Top DL: This archive includes four different definitions files from the years 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2007.
- Note: Only the included 2007 def file is effective at eradicating the SevenDust (666) virus completely. The PDF located via the "Manual" link above, has a good description of 666 and its variant guises.
- 2nd DL: This is a zipped .ISO image of the Virex 6.1 installer with the 2007 defs in place, ready to go. It can be used immediately, with compromised systems in mind:
- If you are running Virex on a Classic Mac OS only, then use MacZip to extract the .ISO and mount it onto your desktop using the Virtual CD/DVD Utility.
- If running a PPC Mac OS X, extract the .ISO from the .zip using the built-in zip "Archive Utility".
- then [Important:] Lock the extracted .ISO before you mount the drive.
- Have Classic running, then double-click the Virex installer in the mounted .ISO.
- Important: Run the installer but Do not Install Virex 6.1 - The installer can check your disk[s] for you without installing (click the "Scan..." button in the Virex installer dialog).
- Note: If scanning large volumes > 120GB; It may be necessary to increase Memory in File Info for the Virex "installer", to complete the scan without error.
Compatibility
Architecture: 68k PPC
68020 or newer CPU, Mac OS 7.1 to 9.2.2 - Virex 6.1 runs OK in Basilisk II, Mini vMac II and Sheepshaver emulators.
Don't bother with setting timed auto update features, as the virus definitions are officially no longer available for this version of Virex.
- Notes:
- Its not necessary to install Virex 6.1 onto a hard drive to inspect your drives for viruses. You can run the installer and check for & eradicate viruses beforehand, then opt out afterwards if you wish not to install.
- Important: Virex 6.1 does not check the contents of compressed files such as .sit, .zip, etc; - It can only inspect and clean files that have been manually expanded from those archives.
- When running Virex 6.1 (on PPC Macintosh), using either the '04 & '07 defs (meant for Virex 6.2), Virex will complain about certain features not working. Ignore this alert because it will scan for viruses just fine.
- The "missing functions" are explained in the "read me" files of the '04 & '07 def's folders (Top DL).
- In brief: "Due to licensing issues, Virex 6.2 does not contain the SpeedScan or Snapshot functionality that existed in Virex 6.1". These functions are not needed for scanning.
- Keeping the .ISO locked, mounted and not installed, will protect the Virex scanner and installer from infection by already compromised systems.
Comments
See the comment above under Compatibility, beginning "Don't bother with..."
Virex 6.1 was considered obsolete by 2004 and these defs are from 2007. They weren't meant to be used with 6.1 - however they do work OK, but with SpeedScan no longer present. The 2007 defs are also needed in order to detect SevenDust (666).
If you come across newer defs out there (and find that they still work with 6.1) please consider adding them to this page. But otherwise, the 2007 defs were the latest working that I know of.
Tho' I expect that by then, script kiddies were no longer interested in writing new classic Mac malwear.
Are the 2007 virus definitions the latest ones available for Virex 6.1 or are there more recent ones out there? In the preferences, what should the update server and directory be in order to get the latest definitions?
Hi Scott. I think there are more than 7 Mac virus's (for example, MerryXmas virus which targets HyperCard ), but of those, the only one that I think actually does or is capable of really malicious damage are the SevenDust varieties. Of which there are 666-A, and variants from this strain 666-B, 666-C, etc; through to at least 666-G, each of which contain their own distinct unpleasantness. 666-A, being the most prevalent it seems. There is a good description of what this strain is capable of included in the 1st DL, and in PDF form (Manual link), above.
But its good to know that you are getting on top of your infected files and drives.
Keep in mind too, that Virex 6.1 does not check the contents of compressed files such as .sit, .zip, etc; - It can only clean files that have been expanded from those archives.
MikeTomTom I discover they are 7 virus for macintosh.
1. ANTI(Computer Virus) Infected up to mac os 8.1
2. INIT 1984 Infected the classic system. It will make you your system to reboot.
3. MacMag They found virus in year 1987 and 1988. It will put peace on earth message.
4. MDefA-D They found virus in year 1990-1991. This infected the classic system. This virus will destroy your system.
5. Nvir This infect the mac os 4.1 to mac os 8.
6. Scores They found this virus in 1988. It infect system 6-7.
7. Sevendust or 666-A This Virus in found in 1998. This infect the classic system. This virus will destroy your system.
I found this wikipedia encyclopedia on their website.
You should use the Virus 6.1 to disinfect the hard drives in classic system.
It found sevendust virus in my classic system.
I think sevendust came from my external hard drive. I am disinfect this drive.
Yes, a big downside to Virex 6.1 (and Disinfectant too), is it doesn't look inside compressed archives (.sit, .zip, etc). So a point of infection may go unnoticed unless you check each archive once they are expanded - and preferably before you run any new-to-your-pc executable.
I try the 2nd download. It work remove some of 666-A virus but not all. I scan all my hard drive for 666-A virus found some repair some. Virex 6.1 did not move all 666-A virus from os 9.2.2 system. I am using os x virus remover application call Virusbarrier x5. Virusbarrier is scanning and repair the files. It fix the drive on os 9.2.2. I am going have the virusbarrier x5 scan and repair all hard drives.
Thank you for all your help you gave me.
@scott: Its not infected. Its your compromised system that is infecting apps as they are launched. I've added another version (2nd DL) above, that you should DL, mount and run from the mounted image.
Do not install Virex onto a compromised system and then run it. In fact do not install Virex at all from this mounted drive. Just run the installer and get it to check your drive (click the Scan button in the installer dialog).
Also make sure the .iso image is locked before you mount the .iso and run the installer.
Note: the 2007 defs are for Virex 6.2 - and it will complain about a certain feature not being available. But ignore that alert as this will still work fine as is, and it certainly will clean up classic Mac virus's including all variants of 666.
I download virex 6.1 and installed it. The Virex 6.1 said virex drop scan and virex is infected with 666-A virus.
Excellent job on this upload, by the way!
That's valuable information Mike, thanks. I'll update to 2007 defs then.
@Vitoarc:
Hate to be a downer, Vito; The 2003 defs do not pick up on the "SevenDust" AKA " 666" Mac virus
I'd kept a copy of SevenDust in a non-volatile form for testing purposes and I hadn't tested it with the 2003 defs before. Just did and they failed to pick up on it. The 2007 defs do detect it.
SevenDust is about the only potential real nuisance virus for a classic Mac, I know of.
Yeah, that's why I was hesitant to delete the preferences in the first place. It was close to 4 MB in size, which is huge for an old program. After I deleted the prefs, it defaulted back to the year 2000 definition, rather than the 2002 that came with the download. I updated the definition back to 2003 with no problem.
So that's where the definitions are stored. From inside the Preference file.
Not a problem, always wary of this though. Make sure it still has sensible defaults. ie. it is still using the set of virus definitions you expect it to be using (rather than, worst case, none at all).
But of course... and that did that trick! Thanks bertyboy!
Don't suppose if you trash (or hide) the exsiting preferences file, it'll revert to defaults and create a new set of preferences with no password ?
Thanks again, MikeTomTom!
Just a few comments...
- Once Virex is installed, one can update the definitions by using Stuffit Expander on the .hqx and then just double clicking on the file. Virex will launch and ask if you want to update the definitions to the file you just clicked on.
- When I click on Virex Preferences, I'm prompted for a password. I don't know the password so changes cannot be made. I am not sure if this is something to do with this download, or perhaps it's a carryover from my previous version of Virex 5.5. I don't think I need access to preferences anyway.
The Snapshot functionality in 6.1 seems even more valuable today than it did years ago. That's it, no more virus definition updates. It's the main reason why I prefer this upload over 6.2.
Mike Tom Tom, regarding the 15000 K issue mentioned by me I looked up old information I scribbled down ages ago: It says that in order to prevent error code -108 raise the memory allocation as well as the recommended memory allocation to 15000 K. I think error 108 occurred when you tried to scan huge volumes.
Sorry for my bad memory: I haven't used Virex for ages. I switched to Norton Antivirus some time ago because it is more customizable than Virex and has virus definitions up to August 2008 and works well as long as you switch AutoProtect off. Norton Antivirus is downloadable here somewhere (I think it's included in Norton Utilities (which I do not recommend as a whole)).
@Vitoarc: YW
And yes I think the v5x would be not as much use, too. I hope it comes in handy for you.
Thanks Mike! Another thoroughly informative and great presentation of an upload!
I really needed this one. I've got Virex 5x but updating the definitions on that (to the more current definitions) proved impossible so it's basically worthless as far as I can tell.
@xy: Yes, thats correct. I have included the defs from 2007 (your link) and '04, & '03 with this D/L. Its not the memory that needs cranking up that I can tell, its turning features off in the Virex 6.1 prefs to get it to work without nagging. Read the description above after "Basically it is because:" for reason why. Virex 6.2 is crippled slightly, compared to 6.1 (and my main reason for wanting the final 6.1 version of the defs).
As far as I remember the virex definitions for Virex 6.2 also work on Virex 6.1:
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/593/virex-6-virus-definitions
However, you have to raise the memory allocation to 15000 K (if I recall that correctly).