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Originally Posted by Captain Code The usual usage pattern of VPC is to run some niche program for a few hours at a time.
So, the risk is really small.
You can spread the Word macro viruses, but I don't think they are actually harmful on the Mac. From what I've heard they don't usually do anything at all on the Mac. |
I am not as sanguine as you about the scope of risk using VPC. Ifyou read email, download files, or cruise the internet in VPC
your risk is exactly the same as it would be running a hardware PC. Once the copy of Windows in VPC is infected, the files on the Mac VPC has access to are vulnerable to damage any time VPC is running. That does not mean VPC can "infect" the Mac, but some of the more malicious virii that delete or trash files could potentially wreak havoc. So unless your use of VPC is
very limited, it is probably best to have a Windows Anti-Virus program installed and running in VPC and unless VPC is sharing the Mac internet connection, you should have a Windows firewall running as well. (If you are sharing the Mac internet connection VPC takes control of the Mac's ipfw firewall.)
I have frequently seen claims of the possibility of damage from Word or Excel macro Virii, but I have
never seen reports of any damage having actually happened. I have no explanation why, it is just an observation.