FIRST MACBOT VIRUS IS ACTIVE!!

  So this time it is for real- a real Trojan was discovered in pirated copies of iWork 09 and Adobe Photoshop CS4. It is estimated that 20,000 people downloaded the Trojan.

The Warning Signs:

  Excessive CPU usage is a sign that something is working in the background. It need not always be a virus but if you notice that your Mac's CPU is pinned, that means that your processor is doing something in the background. It may be trying to contact other websites in an effort to intigate a "denial-of-services attack."
  The virus is also capable of starting peer-to-peer communication, remote start-ups and encryption.

What is a "Botnet"?

  A botnet is a group of computers that are linked togethe by the same program (virus) that together perform malicious deeds like sending out spam email. This would all be done covertly and so the user wouldn't even know that their computer is being used as a spam server. However, CPU usage would increase dramatically and it is likely that the computer would slow down a bit because that is a rather CPU intensive task.

What to do?

  Obviously, the best way to avoid any virus is to stay away from file sharing sites which serve as a breeding ground for viruses. But, if it is already too late, this virus is rather easy to get rid of. Simply delete the following files:

System/Library/StartupItems/DivX
System/Library/StartupItems/iWorkServices