Antivirus

[metalestjames]

What is a good ant-ivirus app that is both effective and compatible with KDE

[dibl]

Re: Antivirus

If you need one, clamav seems to enjoy popular support.

I recommend you review #20 on my "Top 20" FAQs linked in my signature, before you bother with it, however.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Antivirus

As an avid downloader of everything you can imagine and being linux only for the last 10 years or so...

...you don't need anti-virus software. With XP I had to wipe and re-install twice a year even with AVG.


Don't run apps as root and you'll likely never run into any trouble.

The only real function of a virus app in linux is to remove any windows viruses from incoming/outgoing emails.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Antivirus

.......
The only real function of a virus app in linux is to remove any windows viruses from incoming/outgoing emails.
....

That about sums it up, but I've decided that I have no obligation to help my Windows running friends from getting their Windows boxes infected, so I've stopped using all AV software.

The only problem a newbi has is installing software from unverified sources, hence the warning about installing ONLY application found in the repository.

Newbies: You should ESPECIALLY NOT install any software from web sites that pretends to "scan" your PC and then claims it has found malware ("your PC is infected! Install (someapp) NOW!") on it. Not that those Windows EXEs would actually run on your system, but sooner or later some bad guy is going to offer an ELF binary to "solve" that infection problem the fake PC scan "revealed" and that binary is going to ask for the root password. Do it and your Linux installation would be owned by that bad guy. IF you kept any personal ID information it would be taken. IF you kept any passwords on your PC they would be taken. Banking info? Gone. Let me repeat: STICK WITH the apps in the REPOSITORY and IGNORE the claims of websites that they've "found" viruses or Trojans on your PC. They are lying. For you Linux installation to be infected YOU would have to do three things: 1) download the malware, 2) give it the execution permission, 3) run it. Linux IS NOT Windows! You won't get an infection just by opening up an email, or by browsing a website, if you've set up FireFox correctly.

[jglen490]

Re: Antivirus

That pretty well sums it up. Three analyses, three thumbs down.

I've had "fun" on occasion installing this Linux AV or that. Ran them religiously. Never encountered a single piece of malware. Removed them. The day that Linux malware becomes more prevalent is the day that Linux will defend itself at a very fundamental level. Keep your root access to a very low volume, use sudo, make routine backups, and avoid those who make wild claims. You'll be just fine without AV and your Windows buddies won't notice one way or another.

[metalestjames]

Re: Antivirus

Thank you all, I've only been using Kubuntu for oh, a few hours now. I did do some research on the subject before I finally obtained a working copy of the live CD. So far from what I've read in books and online it is unlikely to encounter a virus with Linux, but still possible.

Just want to be safe, thanks again.

[toad]

Re: Antivirus

I've only been using Kubuntu for oh, a few hours now.

Cool! Welcome to the club and hope you like it here

There is really nothing to add in terms of viruses. I don't want to say they don't exist, but they are about as rare as heffalumps or oliphants...

What you ought to be aware of is rootkits. Again, if you follow GreyGeek's advice and install only stuff from the repositories you don't even have to worry about them, but should you ever step outside, then do run rkhunter (short for rootkit hunter) and keep an eye on your system.

For the time being though there is nothing to worry about. Just enjoy the simplicity that is Linux

[The Liquidator]

Re: Antivirus

My experience

A couple of weeks ago I did a virus scan with Klam av (which I keep mainly in case I send stuff that I have not originated to my work e-mail address). It found 5 "viruses" that were actually broken executables. They were revealed because the default configuration of Klam av is to report such files as viruses i.e it cries wolf.

Echo everything everyone else has said. Stick to the repos and you won't go wrong.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Antivirus

A word about those "800+" Linux viruses, etc., that some claim exists...

Several years ago I did a search of Symantec's virus database. There were 12 (twelve) listed, all on one page along with the dates of first and last known infection, how many computers were infected and how difficult it was to remove it.

A couple years later I read an article in an online mag (CNET, IIRC) which claimed that there were 400+ viruses infecting Linux computers. I went to the Symantec database and discovered that they had totally rearranged it, requiring the user to drill down through about six links in order to lean the virus info I listed above. I drilled down to 125 viruses, which took several hours, and noticed a trend. Without exception EVERY virus was merely a common Windows jpg virus with "linux" added to its name. Also very suspicious was the fact that ALL OF THEM were of "low" risk (weak), easy to remove, AND found on TWO OR FEWER SITES!

Think about that last fact for a moment... how did Symantec find so many viruses that had infected two or one sites? I came to the conclusion that THEY were, in their OWN labs, trying to create a Linux virus which was virulent. "Salting" their profit mines?

About every two years the Kaspersky Labs wages an ad campaign claiming that Linux is highly susceptible to virus and Trojan infections. Their goal, of course, is to create a market for their AV products among former Windows users who are new to Linux but bring with them their fears and experiences running Windows, thinking that Linux is equally insecure. It is NOT.

Symantec has returned to a more normal an informative method of listing malware, although they do not segregate their viruses by OS, as they used to. That doesn't mean that they aren't up to their old tricks, however. The most recent Linux malware that Symantec lists, (with names that start with "Linux") is the Linux.Psybot. Notice that it is of LOW risk and was found at only ONE OR TWO sites! It is EASY to remove from a ROUTER. I find that curious. Router software is actually FIRMWARE, stored on rewritable eproms. The virus would have to BURN itself onto the eprom! To do that it would have to be run from the computer, which would require that the user do those three steps I mentioned above. That's why I believe it is another AV house scam.

You will also notice that Linux.Psybot was "discovered" on March 24, 2009 but Symantec claims their initial response vaccine was released on March 23, 2009, the day BEFORE it was discovered. Maybe that is why it is called a "Psychic" virus?

[Mountain Man]

Re: Antivirus

Newbies: You should ESPECIALLY NOT install any software from web sites that pretends to "scan" your PC...

Those always make me laugh, especially when I'm running Linux or Mac OS and the "scanner" is displaying a Windows directory structure.