Klez is a Windows-specific worm that cannot infect a Macintosh. Because this is a worm that can arrive through email, a Macintosh user could pass it on by forwarding the infected message to a Windows user.

W32.Klez is a mass-mailing email worm, which exploits a vulnerability in Windows versions of Microsoft^® Outlook^® and Outlook Express^®. The Macintosh versions of Microsoft Outlook Express do not have this vulnerability.

If you receive a Klez-infected email message, delete the message and do not forward it to anyone. Deleting a Klez-infected email deletes the virus from your computer. If you open this email or choose not to delete it, nothing will happen. It is best to delete the email, because there is no reason to keep it. The only way you can infect a PC with Klez, is by forwarding a Klez-infected email to a person using a PC. The Klez worm/virus will not do anything on your Macintosh because it will works only on a PC that uses the Microsoft Windows^® operating system.

Note

If someone with a PC is infected with Klez and has your email address on their computer, Klez can grab your email address and use it as the sender when it emails the virus to the rest of the collected addresses. This is called "spoofing", and makes it appear as if you have the virus, when you really do not. If you have software such as Virtual PC, SoftWindows or SoftPC, which emulate a Windows environment on your Macintosh, your virtual Windows operating system (OS) can become infected with PC viruses such as Klez. To protect this type of environment, you must have virus protection installed in your virtual Windows OS, such as Norton AntiVirus for Windows.

For more information about Klez, see the Symantec Security Response W32.Klez.h@mm document.

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