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Linux Anti-Virus

  • 11-01-2009 11:40pm
    #1
    velocirafter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 279 ✭✭


    Do linux anti-virus programs detect windows viruses? are there any particular programs designed for this?


Comments

  • #2
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    velocirafter wrote: »
    Do linux anti-virus programs detect windows viruses? are there any particular programs designed for this?

    What viruses other than windows ones are there? Linux doesn't get viruses like windows does, See.

    Clam AV


  • #3
    Naikon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,564 ✭✭✭Naikon


    No need for conventional anti virus software.

    Linux is a multi-user system, so real security is somewhat of a concern:pac:
    You really only need a firewall like iptables and a ruleset for your INPUT OUTPUT and FORWARD chains.

    iptables is not very easy to figure out if you don't have some experience with it, but you can use this to generate a ruleset specific to your system. You could also use a graphical tool like UbuntuFirewall or Firestarter.


  • #4
    Naikon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,564 ✭✭✭Naikon


    velocirafter wrote: »
    Do linux anti-virus programs detect windows viruses?

    ClamAV seems to be the best bet.


  • #5
    matrim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,518 ✭✭✭matrim


    AVG also do an antivirus for linux, but I don't know how good it is or what features it supports


  • #6
    velocirafter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 279 ✭✭velocirafter


    I dont actually want anti-virus software for my OS, i understand that linux isnt as vulnerable to attack. I should have made that clearer at the beginning.

    Lets say a windows machine has a virus, could i take that harddrive and scan it with anti-virus software running on a linux machine. It would allow me to scan for viruses without threat of infection and would also stop a virus potentially attacking my anti-virus software to stop it scanning.


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  • #7
    matrim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,518 ✭✭✭matrim


    velocirafter wrote: »
    I dont actually want anti-virus software for my OS, i understand that linux isnt as vulnerable to attack. I should have made that clearer at the beginning.

    Lets say a windows machine has a virus, could i take that harddrive and scan it with anti-virus software running on a linux machine. It would allow me to scan for viruses without threat of infection and would also stop a virus potentially attacking my anti-virus software to stop it scanning.

    There seems to be a bit of discussion about that here. http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-577679.html

    As mentioned on the thread something like the Ultumate boot CD comes with an AV program.

    I think there are other AV programs that can be run from a boot CD too, but can't remember the names now.


  • #8
    Dartz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,405 ✭✭✭Dartz


    Linux does get virii.... it's just a good bit harder to infect. I've found that Wine can get them from time to time, especially using Internet Explorer 6 for certain things. Watching them run in Wine is a bit like watching anthrax in a petri dish.

    I have Avast! free, for Linux, for the simple reason that I need to scan files I'm sending on to people, so I don't send pass on Virus to someone I like. Just because you don't get infected, doesnt mean you don't carry the disease.


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