Does Linux needs Antivirus?

[rajas700]

Dose linux need an antivirus??.If so suggest me a antivirus.

 

[GNUrag]

Cheer up rajas!
Linux needs no Antivirus.

 

[rajas700]

Than no virus will atack linux???.If how to protect against it?

 

[vignesh]

ClamWin is one.But no need to have one at all.Maximum a virus can do is just washout your home directory files.

 

[rajas700]

It seemed that panda in providing free antivirus for linux.

 

[vignesh]

Try ClamWin its cool.

 

[Satissh S]

I saw somewhere that unless v browse in linux under root v won't b affected. Simple na..

 

[ujjwal]

For all normal purposes, an antivirus software cannot be of much benefit. If you are really paranoid, you can get hold of an on demand console scanner like F-Prot or BitDefender and run it occasionally. But really, very few viruses exist for linux, and they require some unpatched holes in the system.

I recommend reading markjenson of neowin's post here.

 

[tuxfan]

We should not stay away from an AV simply because very few viruses exist. Today there are few, tomorrow there can be more!! Who knows? Some department of M$ may be busy preparing viruses for Linux by finding loopholes in the code!!

But its the security architechture in a GNU/Linux OS that makes it strong. If we don't surf as root, we are safe.

Anyway, have a look at Need opinion on Linux Security in general (long, 5 pages).

 

[vignesh]

thanks for the link

 

[tuxfan]

My pleasure

 

[srijit]

Some department of M$ may be busy preparing viruses for Linux by finding loopholes in the code!!

if they were smart enought to do that wont they be implementing the changes to windows? i guess not

 

[cryptid]

I was told on the ubuntu official IRC channel that i dont need a antivirus unless i am running a mail server and if i would stick to the softwares provided in my package Manager i.e Synaptec(which is awesom with 16000+softwares) i will not have to worry about viruses getting installed by mistake. Ne ways check out this link this guy who goes by the hadle of cynoex writes viruses for linux so dont have the misconception that viruses do not exist for linux *cyneox.xhost.ro/

 

[khattam_]

If you need one, Bitdefender is not a bad choice at all...

 

[Vishal Gupta]

MODS!
Pls change the topic title to "Does Linux needs Antivirus?"
The current title is very confusing...

 

[ra_rav]

yes due to open structure and some of the flaws in the current applications of linux a virus can be easily made in linux you can install av for linux from knoppix 3.6 cd.
some viruses do exist which kill the tux.

 

[it_waaznt_me]

No but it needs firewall for sure ..

 

[__Virus__]

yes due to open structure and some of the flaws in the current applications of linux a virus can be easily made in linux you can install av for linux from knoppix 3.6 cd.
some viruses do exist which kill the tux.

who cares when one file,service,daemon in linux is affected by virus, no worm concept all u do it KILL -F the service and delete the s...t and thr ya go crystal clear just like a virgin

 

[Kniwor]

Some department of M$ may be busy preparing viruses for Linux by finding loopholes in the code!!
Need opinion on Linux Security in general (long, 5 pages).

lol...

well i think it's only a matter of time before u will have to use AV on linux, this time will be alittle longer because there are too many linux distros, and it's free, it' being open source can help hackers though.

 

[Ashis]

Yea.....OfCourse it needs!

If u have important data & U company's business depends on it then u should have an Anti-Virus package installed!

Yes, Virus attack in Linux is not quite common like windows..but who can protect U against a BAD LUCK ?

Prevention is always better than Cure!