AfterTek

Apple Computer Inc. said Wednesday that a small number of video iPods shipped in the past month carry a computer virus.  Less than 1 per cent of Apple’s video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006 left Apple’s contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus, according to the company’s support site.

The virus is known to spread through external data storage devices when they are connected to computers and affects only machines running Microsoft Corp.’s Windows operating system. Security experts say the virus opens up further security holes for hackers.  The iPods got the virus from a Windows computer at one of its manufacturing plants, Apple said.

Though the iPods themselves are not affected, nor are Apple’s Mac OS computers, Apple recommended that iPod owners use its latest iTunes program to remove the virus from their new devices.  “So far we have seen less than 25 reports concerning this problem,” the company said on the site. “As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it.”

The company said the virus can be detected and removed using many popular anti-virus software programs.  “The iPod nano, iPod shuffle and Mac OS X are not affected, and all Video iPods now shipping are virus free,” Apple added.