Thread: AV for linux

Originally Posted by DJ Mr. White

Any suggestions for a free AV for linux (Ubuntu)? I know Linux is pretty safe, but I want to make sure nothing gets on the PC that will have it.

I run rkhunter and chkrootkit as cron (scheduled) jobs. Other than that, I respect the security model of Debian (from which Ubuntu is derived).

Install your apps appropriately. Use trusted sources (apt, or Synaptic on Ubuntu, make that very easy). Apply updates and patches when your system notifies you that they're available. Create user accounts for every user. Respect those accounts. In day-to-day use, you should never be logged in as root or with admin privileges. In a properly set up system, you should never need to be root (superuser, wheel, whatever) to get work done.

If you're seriously paranoid, or have reason to act that way, there are options. I never used SELinux or AppArmor, but I think they work with Debian-style systems. I have used BSD variants, and OpenBSD is pathological about security and correctness. It's not as pretty as Ubuntu.

Cheers,


AetheLove

Originally Posted by AetheLove

[...] respect the security model of Debian (from which Ubuntu is derived).

I should add a few things to that.

I have a completely vague idea of what you do, but if you're at all interested in using this machine as a audio workstation, then you should consider the Ubuntu Studio variant. I play with a bunch of audio software in a standard Ubuntu install, and it can be a pain in the ass. The PulseAudio sound server is the default for Ubuntu, and it's fine for desktop stuff, but if you want to do audio production the JACK sound server is real-time, low-latency, and designed for a pro-audio environment. I'm a dilettante at audio, but I know how to swap out the system's sound server and so I'm fine with the standard Ubuntu. Most people who do audio (or video) production won't want to mess with that. Ubuntu Studio uses JACK as the default.

I use Debian systems every day, and I'm not sure I'd recommend them to most people as an every-day desktop system. I like it fine, better than Windows for sure, but it can be finicky. The biggest thing I see as a day-to-day issue for Joe Random User is Flash support. If you love to play Flash games and watch YouTube video, then stick to Windows or Mac. Flash works fine on my system, but the 64-bit Flash support from Adobe is barely beta quality. Installation requires you to start up a terminal and run a .sh file from the command line. That's not something I'd ask my mom to do.

I use the GIMP instead of Photoshop. I like Inkscape as a substitute for Illustrator. If I absolutely have to use an Office Suite, I'm fine with LibreOffice. There isn't anything I can't get done, but most people I know would hate having to do things a different way. None of that is to say that I don't like it. I've been very satisfied. But you should go in with your eyes open. Desktop Linux is not as polished as Windows, and it's a far cry from the MacOS.

That said, I also run VirtualBox and have two separate Windows VMs. I have a broad variety of Windows software installed on them, and it works flawlessly.

Cheers,


AetheLove

From what I understand AV is not needed for linux. You can install it but very very rare if any that it is needed.

Originally Posted by WileECyte

ClamAV is used pretty commonly on Linux/UNIX systems. Especially on Linux/UNIX based mail servers.

It's used on Linux/UNIX mail servers to scan the email stream for viruses. This protects the recipients, not the local machine.

Is it also useful for protecting a desktop install? That's a serious question. I've had to address security concerns before, but it's not my profession.

Cheers,


AetheLove