Some Digital Photo Frames Sold at Best Buy During Holidays Contain Virus
If you bought a 10.4-inch Insignia-branded photo frame with model number NS-DPF-10A from Best Buy during the holidays, then beware: The device may come with a virus that can infect Windows-based computers.
Best Buy has taken all the remaining Insignia-branded frames off its store shelves and has discontinued producing them. According to the Insignia Web site, "this is an older virus which is easily identified and removed by current anti-virus software." The company is also providing telephone support for any consumers concerned they have one of the infected frames at 1-877-467-4289.
(Note: Insignia is a brand name created and owned by Best Buy to create several lines of consumer electronics products for distribution through its stores. This is similar to store brands of other types that consumers typically see in everything from grocery stores to auto parts dealers.)
This isn't the first time a consumer electronics product comes installed with a little something malicious that the consumer wasn't counting on. GPS maker TomTom found out the hard way in late 2006 that a batch of its GO 910 units were infected at the factory level with a virus. And even the beloved iPod hasn't been immune, with an incident also in late 2006 where a collection of its 5.5-gigabyte MP3 players sprung up with a virus that was inserted at the manufacturing point. (That virus only infected Windows machines, as well.)
How does this happen? Typically, it's not the work of some nefarious factory employee who wants to sabotage a product line. Instead, the people who work at these manufacturing points are just as susceptible as the rest of us to mistakenly downloading a virus onto their work computers. This virus then replicates itself and ultimately makes its way onto one of the computers that is tasked with setting up the consumer electronics products destined for store shelves.
Both Apple and TomTom stated at the time that they were reviewing their manufacturing processes to prevent this from happening again and issued warnings and advice to consumers, just as Best Buy and Insignia are doing now.
Best Buy has not issued a recall of the photo frames. Since the flaw is (apparently) easy to correct, we don't think a panic is forthcoming -- or necessary.
From ComputerWorld.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Apple lies. said 4:39PM on 2-08-2008
Yup so much for Apple saying thier prodcuts are immune. LMAO If this were true they would need to post 156 patches just to give thier vaunted destops the same protection that comes built in to Vista. thats right folks I own a Mac as well it guess what Leopard din't have an firewall or anti-spyware filter or any defenses packeged with it! you must download them 156 files!!!!!!!
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Mike said 9:28PM on 1-24-2008
Apple products are immune to virus at this point. The virus doesn't have an impact on the Apple product, just when it is connected to a PC does it have an immediate impact. So basically, none of what you said in true and if you own a Mac, you still don't need an anti-virus program.
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BradSenkovich said 2:57PM on 8-03-2009
you sir are an ignorant twit.
Apple's ARE susceptable to virus'. you must realize that when apple's make up only 9% of the total market you only hear about how deadly the virus' are for the 91% other PC's
We'd have the same conversation if Apple's were 91% and PC 9%.
Don't get me wrong i like apples. but the fanaticism makes me want to hammer a mac to death. Oh ya how is mac handling that latest VOIP codec problem? oh ya month 4 in not fixed and "its a known issue"
At least PC doesn't require Microsoft to move to get a proper codec working properly.
Harry said 10:13PM on 1-24-2008
Sorry to burst your bubble guys. Apple computers are just as susceptable to virises, etc., as Windows machines. It's just that, since there are far fewer Apples out there, not as many hackers bother to write malicious code for them. But some do. Anybody who goes on the net with no firewall and no anti-virus/anti-spyware protection is being stupid in a no-stupid zone. 'Cause sometimes, event that isn't enough protection. It's a dangerous world out there.
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DEastArt said 10:27PM on 1-24-2008
It's true, I've been online for over ten years with Macs (first a G-3 and now a G-4, and running different Mac Operating Systems)and have never had virus protection and have never had a single problem. Never had to remove any spyware or adware either. We also have a PC in our home, which has virus protection but even so was totally wiped out by a virus once. I also have to run spyware and adware removal tools every week on the PC, otherwise the computer gets so slow that it's unbearable.
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j said 8:16AM on 1-25-2008
Buy the Kodak WiFi models. They have a better clarity and have no
issues. (Bestbuy)
Kodak WiFi:
You can have a friend or family member anywhere in the world download photos onto your kodak gallery site & then the photos will DROP automatically onto your frame!
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Greg said 8:57AM on 1-26-2008
I wouldn't be surprised if Best Buy did this intentionally so that people would have to bring in their equipment (not just picture frames but PC's) so that their friggin "Geek Squad" could charge you a fortune to remove the virus.
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Greg said 9:07AM on 1-25-2008
I read an atricle recently where Best Buy was applauding the police for sticking a tazor into a baby carriage because they thought the father may have stolen something worth $85. I sent Best Buy an email asking how their General Mgr. could applaud such a horrible & potentially deadly act to occur but they replied that they were "to busy to reply". I don't shop there and won't. Best Buy sucks!
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Jim in AR said 11:34AM on 1-25-2008
So, I gather Best Buy says it does not need to recall this defective product that it sold to its customers, which is manufactured by Best Buy itself, even though it contains a virus that could harm someone's computer. Sounds like another business that is doing so well that it doesn't need customers anymore.
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Lam21629 said 1:55PM on 1-29-2008
I bought a Smartparts 10.4 inch digital picture frame from Ritz Camera online on Black Friday and it had a virus installed on it. My antivirus, Panda, notified me as soon as I connected the frame to the computer. I was able to download a virus-free copy of the program from the SmartParts website.
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byondhlp said 3:34PM on 1-31-2008
I bought this frame, had no virus problem but when I put pictures of my wife and daughter in the frame.... somehow the frame takes their clothes off.... strange
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steve said 12:06PM on 8-05-2008
Well byondhlp is really beyond help because he likes to look at pictures of his daughter naked. Jim in AR, please learn to read the whole article instead of pieces that you use make a biased comment. It clearly states that the problem is easy to correct and that they were providing FREE (Greg) assistance to do it. And sorry Mac fanboys, software is software. Just because you haven't gotten a virus on a Mac doesn't mean it is virus proof. There have been many security holes found in Mac OS but it is not worth the time to write code to expoit less than 5% of the computer population. So Apple lies in their advertising by perpetuating the image that if you by a Mac that your computer is safe from a virus forever, that is somehow more secure than Windows. Windows is still standing after being attacked so many times. Mac doesn't get attacked. So you can't tell how secure it is until it is tested in battle.
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