ClamTk Directory

[darren7659]

Hi, I've just installed ClamTk antivirus from the software centre. When I went to run it, it asked which directory to scan.

Do I only have to scan /home or should I do the whole / directory?

[Snowhog]

Your option. No right or wrong decision. But, IMO, as will be that of many experienced Linux users, installing/using any antivirus software is overkill.

[oshunluvr]

Not only do you not need an anti-virus program for Linux (you'll only get a virus if you deliberately install it yourself) it's no longer maintained which makes it of even less probable value:

https://gitlab.com/dave_m/clamtk/-/issues/144

[Virginio Miranda]

Hi, I've just installed ClamTk antivirus from the software centre. When I went to run it, it asked which directory to scan.

Do I only have to scan /home or should I do the whole / directory?

Its depend of your usage, but for desktop user , running /home is effective. To check the entire / ClamTk need root permissions and you only can do that using clamav on line commands. Clamav is the antivirus software and ClamTk is the frontend for this.

[claydoh]

Also note that antivirus such as clamav are mainly for scanning for Windows viruses,etc. such as on mail and file servers.

It is overkill and of limited use on a desktop, imo.

[jlittle]

... it's no longer maintained ...

ClamTk is no longer maintained, but the underlying engine, ClamAV, had a release 4 days ago. clamav-desktop is a "work in progress"; I haven't tried it.

[Virginio Miranda]

ClamTk is the frontend for Clamav. Like said above, Clamav is the engine. Cisco bougth clamav a long time ago. Since then they continue to do a great job for the defense of malware. It is not the better tool in the world, but do a good job.

So, in this way, lets see what the maintener said about the ClamTk in the link above:

" As of today, after 20+ years, I'm considering myself retired. ( retired to maintain ClamTk and not Clamav ) "

Why?

" I'm not a real programmer and will never be good at it , "
......
" ClamAV signatures take a long time to load upon startup; don't know how to tell that to the user waiting for the scan to begin. Yes, we can use clamd, I know. "

So he give up due to their own limitations, and not because linux does not need anti malware.

Continuos... what he recommends:

" I do recommend these, though:
- Quit calling Linux threats "viruses". Linux (and other OSes) are vulnerable to A LOT of threats, including malware and rootkits. Saying Linux doesn't get viruses is like saying your football team doesn't give up many homeruns. It's stupid. Linux systems need to be protected by defense-in-depth, and that doesn't include saying "it's secure because it's Linux". Malware is the right term, which encompasses many types of threats.

- Someone should make a good malware scanner (GUI) for Linux (and related) systems. ( He is talking about the frontend or a GUI )

I agree too the therm " viruses " is incorrect. And not only this affect windows. The best way today is calling them as malware. And malware affect Windows, Linus, Unix, and others Operational systems.

The most dangerous malware in the last past years of 2022, 2023 and 2024 are: Ransonware. A lot of big business are having their servers encrypted by Ransonwares. And if we check, most of them on Linux.

I suggest that people read a lot more about this and forget the old concept that linux does not need anti malware. That is not true anymore.

In the case of ClamTk, this is no longer maintained, but Clamav continue to be in development and maintain a very deep bank of dates of malwares. The engine of Clamav is really good, and people can do a lot of things in command line. Clamd for example is a Clamav daemon that run in background and try to keep the system secure. Of course, we are talking about a free tool, so there are certain kind of limitations.

Now the question is : To be or not to be? This a kind of decision that have to take in consideration one thing called " Risk ".

I have been using Clamav on Linux for a several years. Not only in a desktop usage but for a Cloud system too, and i can assure : there are a lot of threats in Linux.

If someone ask me what to do , i use to say: Learn at least about Clamav and their commands and try to be safe. It is free of charge. The only thing that people have to do is a learning curve and there is a lot of free courses on the net.

Be safe.

[jglen490]

Over the years, I've tried the whole Clam* thing a few times. Everytime, I've just uninstalled it. It's a drag on performance and it never found any virus on my systems.