[question] why linux has no viruses

[electropc]

hi,

i hear a lot of people that no linux based OS have no kid of viruses,
furthermore they say that they dont have because of they do not have the register.

so i came trough this way to ask everybody if taht is true

i thank you in advance

[Snowhog]

Re: [question] why linux has no viruses

There are virus written that affect Linux, but they are far less frequent than those written for Windows. The nature of how a Linux system is set up and managed, make it very unlikely that a virus could make it into, let alone, run (without admin assistance) on a Linux system.

[GreyGeek]

Re: [question] why linux has no viruses

The definitive answer, updated as recently as March 2, 2010, is given by Linux expert Rick Moen at THIS web site.

By and large, you can be hit at all only by being really dumb. By and large, you can suffer system (root) compromise from malware only by being mind-bogglingly dumb.

Moreover, especially since the year 2000, even reckless, dumb Linux users have been adequately protected against the consequences of likely types of gross negligence, by automated system updaters.

I used to install WINE and play with Windows viruses just to see what they do. But, there are only 8 attack vectors and most viruses are the same except for a change in name and a coding variable. It got repetitively boring. That's how millions of Windows viruses have been so effective. Start with a known, effective virus, even one which has been "neutralized" by updates to AV dat files. Edit the source, change the name of a variable or add another useless variable, or change the contents of a variable in an insignificant way, recompile, give it a name which suggests it is or supplies porn, and post it on any torrent site. The AV dat files won't recognize it and it will be affective for another couple of months before a new dat file is released by the AV houses. Meanwhile, those who don't bother to get their AV subscriptions updated will always get infected, sometimes by the save virus several times. During that period of months before the AV dat file is released thousands upon thousands of Windows users get their personal info and/or bank deposits stolen.

[Snowhog]

Re: [question] why linux has no viruses

A short read: Myth Busting: Is Linux Immune to Viruses?

[GreyGeek]

Re: [question] why linux has no viruses

A short read: Myth Busting: Is Linux Immune to Viruses?

While the author of that article claims "no", he is depending a LOT on Linux users being susceptible to social engineering, i.e., persuading the Linux user to do something with a download or attachment that they normally would not do: save it to the HD, add the execute permission, and then run it. In the case of a *.deb file, saving it and then running Gdbi on it. That's what Rick Moen calls "being exceedingly mind-bogglingly dumb?" The *.desktop fiasco was never a threat and has was neutralized before

I've been using Linux extensively for 12 years and exclusively for 8 of those years. My boxes, until I started using a laptop, were connected to the Internet 24/7/365. I have never been infected by a Linux virus or Trojan. I haven't even seen one in the wild since slapper appeared 8 years ago in Eastern Europe and died out in a couple weeks. It never escaped Eastern Europe. Those folks were running a commercial Linux distro that set the user up to run as root so their Linux experience would be as close to Windows as possible (i.e., sans passwords when doing maintenance or installations). Moral: DON'T run Linux as root.

On Feb 12, 2008 Steve Ballmer gave a talk and presented a graphic in which he showed that Linux has about 12% of the desktop market share and Apple had 10%. Since that time VISTA happened and the Linux desktop market share has only risen in the US and around the world, especially around the world, where Microsoft's influence isn't so effective. It is obvious that if infections rates were mapped to market share, as many Windows fanbois claim, Linux viruses should number around 120,000 to 150,000 per year, compared to Windows 1,000,000+/year. Over the last couple of years you can probably count the number of EFFECTIVE Linux viruses on one hand, the one without any fingers. IF anyone should have gotten infected with Linux viruses it should be the crop of over a dozen elderly Linux users that I've been "supporting" during the last couple of years. They are complete techophobes .... and NOT ONE of them has ever been infected, rooted or hacked. I put "supporting" in quotes because their calls, as infrequent as they are, are mainly of the "I forgot, how do I ..." variety.

[oshunluvr]

Re: [question] why linux has no viruses

I think the chance of being infected using linux "properly" - i.e. not running a GUI as root (see "mind-bogglingly dumb") are about equal to your car blowing up. Yes it can happen but it's not very likely unless you light matches near the opened gas cap (see "mind-bogglingly dumb").