Can a virus infect a DSLR, or is the SD card/computer the real problem?
Asked 7/30/2013
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2 answers
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My antivirus reports a worm on my SD card after I use it with my DSLR and then connect it to my laptop. I reformatted the card, but after using it again the worm is detected again, and my photos seem to disappear. If I connect the DSLR directly to the computer, the antivirus also detects the threat. Can a DSLR actually be infected, and is it safe or useful to scan the camera with antivirus software?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
10
It is likely that your computer is infected with a worm that automatically copies itself to removable media to try and spread. When you format the card, it may be briefly clean, but it would rapidly get reinfected by the worm. It is possible the worm only uploads itself to the card when inserted in the computer.
Try formatting the card, if virus scan then says it is clean, try ejecting it and simply plug it back in to the computer and see if it is still clean. Most likely it will not be clean after this reinsert.
It is theoretically possible for someone to write a virus that could infect a camera and try to worm on to other hosts via a memory card, but such a virus would be very VERY specialized and very elaborate. There is very little reason such a virus would be used in the wild unless it was trying to attack some kind of secure environment through a camera, so it is highly unlikely you have a virus on your camera.
Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11392
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A DSLR itself is very unlikely to be infected. Camera firmware is highly specialized, and a normal computer worm typically targets PCs and spreads via removable media like SD cards.
What’s more likely is:
- your computer is infected and keeps copying the worm to the SD card, or
- the SD card still contains the worm and the computer sees it again when the card is in the camera.
A good test is to connect the camera to the computer without the SD card inserted. If the warning disappears, the card is the carrier, not the camera.
Also, a quick format may not fully clear the card. Use a full/low-level format if available, then test by reinserting the card into the computer before putting it back in the camera.
Scanning the camera itself with antivirus generally won’t help much. Focus on cleaning the computer first, then thoroughly reformat or replace the SD card if needed. Once the computer is clean, the card should stop being reinfected.
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