How to Get Rid of an MSN Virus on a Mac

The MSN Virus Project is a Trojan horse virus that propagates itself by sending a link to all the contacts on an infected user's MSN Messenger buddy list. The link looks like it is coming from a friend and encourages you to click on it, thus installing the virus. For this reason, the MSN virus spreads quickly.
The Mac operating system is less susceptible to viruses compared to PCs. However, a Mac may occasionally download the virus.


Instructions

1 Quit MSN Messenger and close any open instant message MSN conversations.

2 Restart the Mac by clicking the Apple icon in the top left-hand corner of the screen and selecting "Restart" from the drop-down menu. Wait for the Mac to finish rebooting.

3 Click the "Spotlight" icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

4 Search for the following files: update.exe, goll.exe, loadadv455.exe, goll.exe or eyewblbby.exe. Files ending in ".exe" are executable files that can run automatically on a Windows-based PC. While they do not run on a Mac (thus protecting the mac from being infected by the MSN virus), they can lie dormant and infect PCs if sent accidentally to an individual using Windows.

5 Delete the files you found in Step 4 by dragging them to your Mac recycle bin in the Mac OS X dock. Right-click (if your Mac does not have a right-click button, hold the "CTRL" key while clicking) the dock and select "Empty Trash" to permanently erase the MSN virus.

6 Launch Safari, Firefox or the Mac internet browser of your choice. Download a Mac antivirus program to protect your Mac from accidentally downloading the MSN virus in the future. Various companies offer free and paid Mac antivirus programs. Examples include the free ClamXav antivirus software and Norton Antivirus for Mac program (links in the Resources section). The antivirus program will scan your Mac for the MSN virus and any other known Mac-targeted viruses or trojan horses and alert you when such infected files are found.