In an interview with iLounge this morning, Apple Vice President of Hardware Product Marketing Greg Joswiak disclosed that the company has discovered and taken steps to fight a Windows virus found on a small number of enhanced, fifth-generation iPods sold since September 12, 2006. The virus, RavMonE.exe, affects only Windows computers, and anti-virus software included with most Windows computers should detect and remove it.
According to Joswiak, “it appears that this Windows virus or worm does not directly cause any data damage, but it can lower the security of the machine.”
“We recently discovered that a small number, less than 1% of video iPods, left our contract manufacturer carrying a virus that affects only Windows computers,” explained Joswiak, who says the company has had “less than 25 reports concerning this problem.” “The iPod nano, iPod shuffle and Mac OS X are not affected, and all Video iPods now shipping are virus free. We’re upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset at ourselves for not catching it.”
Apple’s official Support page for the virus provides links and applications to detect and remove the virus, if a Windows-installed PC lacks the ability to do so on its own, and recommends that you scan other mass-storage devices for the virus if it is detected.
Though the company did not specify whether the virus’s presence was attributable to Apple’s decision to ship recent fifth-generation iPods pre-formatted for Windows PCs rather than Macintosh computers, Joswiak noted that Apple has taken steps to prevent this from happening in the future.