Question about Linux Antivirus Software

Cheerful Pickle wrote:

> Hi, gang,
>
> I heard that since their introduction that Windows has had over 100,000
> viruses attack it while Linux has had only around 40 or so. It seem to me
> that unless someone uses his Linux for a mail server for one or more
> Windows computer that the cost of an antivirus program is probably not
> justified.
>
What viruses and trojans are for windows, rootkits are for unix/linux. Run
"chkrootkit" at regular intervals if you have open server ports. Don't let
unconfigured servers run anytime, and don't run unneeded services.

> I would like to know what your observations and comments are. Am I right
> or am I wrong? As something of a newbie with Linux I need to know.
> Though I do not want a virus, of course, it seems to be something of a
> waste of money to pay the same price as for a Windows antivirus program
> though there are only 0.04% as many viruses out there for Linux as
> compared to Windows, meaning that it would get 0.04% of the use of a
> comparable Window$ program, unless there is a free program out there I am
> not aware of, such as AVG for Windows.
>
You can always install clamav/clamd, or f-prot (free linux version for
personal usage). Both of them will auto-update from the net, if configured
correctly. They can be used to find viruses (mostly for windows) you
receive via e-mail or to search windows partitions/network connected
windows boxen/cds, sticks, whatever. Amavis/clamav automatically scans your
incoming e-mails and puts viruses into quarantine.

> To me an antivirus program is like life insurance. Just as an eighteen
> year old will not have to pay nearly as much for life insurance as an
> eighty year old, there is no reason a Linux user should have to pay as
> much for an antivirus program as a Windows user, yet this often seems to
> be the case.
>
The different concept makes linux more immune to viruses. It isn't as easy
to program a linux virus that spreads via e-mail, unless $USER runs his
email program as root - which is strongly discouraged.
Thanks to better userspace separation compared to windows, programs once
installed will run as regular user, without having to tweak registry and
change permissions for files inside the system folder, which often is
required for windows.

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 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

"Cheerful Pickle" wrote in message

> Hi, gang,
>
> I heard that since their introduction that Windows has had over 100,000
> viruses attack it while Linux has had only around 40 or so. It seem to me
> that unless someone uses his Linux for a mail server for one or more
> Windows computer that the cost of an antivirus program is probably not
> justified.
>
> I would like to know what your observations and comments are. Am I right
> or am I wrong? As something of a newbie with Linux I need to know.
> Though I do not want a virus, of course, it seems to be something of a
> waste of money to pay the same price as for a Windows antivirus program
> though there are only 0.04% as many viruses out there for Linux as
> compared to Windows, meaning that it would get 0.04% of the use of a
> comparable Window$ program, unless there is a free program out there I am
> not aware of, such as AVG for Windows.
>
> To me an antivirus program is like life insurance. Just as an eighteen
> year old will not have to pay nearly as much for life insurance as an
> eighty year old, there is no reason a Linux user should have to pay as
> much for an antivirus program as a Windows user, yet this often seems to
> be the case.
>
> Thank you.

Nobody NEEDS anti-virus, but if they value there data they should be willing to
pay for handholding AV or learn to use the many free alternatives like on-demand
freebees and safe-hex. Safe-hex is superior especially on *nix where the OS isn't
fighting you.)
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 21:10:55 +0000, Blinky the Shark wrote:

>> unless $USER runs his email program as root - which is strongly
>> discouraged.
>
> I've never figured out why one *would* do that. Help me, here.

Hey, I'm still something of a newbie, but even when I was a rank newbie I
knew better than that. That is about as stupid as a Windows user after
being told that an attachment to a fake looking returned mail message
was a virus opening it up just to see. DUH! Gee, George, some users are
only three-and-a-half years old -- or so it would seem.

--
Andy Rugg - The Cheerful Pickle
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Keith Holyoake said on hearing the news of
the successful Apollo 11 landing: "The impossible is only that which takes a
little longer to do."
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

Blinky the Shark wrote:
> Walter Mautner wrote:
>
>
>>The different concept makes linux more immune to viruses. It isn't as easy
>>to program a linux virus that spreads via e-mail, unless $USER runs his
>>email program as root - which is strongly discouraged.

> I've never figured out why one *would* do that. Help me, here.


It seems quite common for newbies to want to do everything as root, which is a
quite good way to take the path to ruin your linux setup. Think of someone
running a tropjan version of say xine, which has the habbit to try to delete
/etc/*

run the trojan as a normal user: the trojan fails to delete files in /etc as
they don't have the w-privilige.

run the trojan as root: the trojan deletes all files and directories in /etc,
system will not boot properly next time and many programs will fail to work
porperly when the configuration files are missing.


I let you figure out why you shouldn't run things like root.


//Aho
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 21:10:55 +0000, Blinky the Shark wrote:

> Walter Mautner wrote:
>
>> The different concept makes linux more immune to viruses. It isn't as easy
>> to program a linux virus that spreads via e-mail, unless $USER runs his
>> email program as root - which is strongly discouraged.
>
> I've never figured out why one *would* do that. Help me, here.

I think it's a matter of habit. In Windows, you basically *are* root,
unless you actively change your own status from administrator. I doubt
most people ever consider doing that, if the know of the option in the
first place.

So, coming to Linux, you think, "what's the big deal about root?" and just
use that account. At least, *some* of us (read: I) did, until I did
something dumb like rm -fr *. Not quite that bad, but bad enough to
convince me to take away my privileges and make me sit in the corner.
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

Blinky the Shark wrote:

> Walter Mautner wrote:
>
>> The different concept makes linux more immune to viruses. It isn't as
>> easy to program a linux virus that spreads via e-mail, unless $USER runs
>> his email program as root - which is strongly discouraged.
>
> I've never figured out why one *would* do that. Help me, here.
>
Well, it's common practice with windows .
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 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

Cheerful Pickle wrote:
>
> I would like to know what your observations and comments are. Am I right
> or am I wrong? As something of a newbie with Linux I need to know.

I really don't see the need for AV for Linux, it reminds me of a sketch
I saw on Sesame Street:

Bert: "Ernie why do you have a banana in your ear?"
Earnie: "To keep the crocodiles away"
Bert: "But there are no crocodiles around here!!!"
Earnie: "Works great doesn't it?"

> To me an antivirus program is like life insurance. Just as an eighteen
> year old will not have to pay nearly as much for life insurance as an
> eighty year old, there is no reason a Linux user should have to pay as
> much for an antivirus program as a Windows user, yet this often seems to
> be the case.
>

It's not what sort of use you get out of it, it's what is it worth to
you for peace of mind?

--
Regards,
Harry Phillips
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

Harry Phillips wrote:
> Cheerful Pickle wrote:

>> To me an antivirus program is like life insurance. Just as an eighteen
>> year old will not have to pay nearly as much for life insurance as an
>> eighty year old, there is no reason a Linux user should have to pay as
>> much for an antivirus program as a Windows user, yet this often seems to
>> be the case.

> It's not what sort of use you get out of it, it's what is it worth to
> you for peace of mind?

I guess this small script could help for the mind peace

--- /usr/bin/checkviruses ---
#!bin/sh
echo "Checking system for viruses"
sleep 5
echo "Ram... Clear!"
sleep 15
echo "Filesystem... Clear!"
sleep 2
echo "Your system is free of viruses."
--- eof ---

Don't forget to do a: chmod 750 /usr/bin/checkviruses
before starting to use the script.


//Aho
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

"Blinky the Shark" wrote in message
> Walter Mautner wrote:
>
> > The different concept makes linux more immune to viruses. It isn't as easy
> > to program a linux virus that spreads via e-mail, unless $USER runs his
> > email program as root - which is strongly discouraged.
>
> I've never figured out why one *would* do that. Help me, here.

Off the topic path a little, but there was a Windows NT user posting awhile back that had
permission problems with some software he was running. His "solution" was to give all users
admin privaledges - - it takes all kinds . . .
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

"J.O. Aho" wrote in message
> Harry Phillips wrote:
> > Cheerful Pickle wrote:
>
> >> To me an antivirus program is like life insurance. Just as an eighteen
> >> year old will not have to pay nearly as much for life insurance as an
> >> eighty year old, there is no reason a Linux user should have to pay as
> >> much for an antivirus program as a Windows user, yet this often seems to
> >> be the case.
>
> > It's not what sort of use you get out of it, it's what is it worth to
> > you for peace of mind?
>
> I guess this small script could help for the mind peace
>
> --- /usr/bin/checkviruses ---
> #!bin/sh
> echo "Checking system for viruses"
> sleep 5
> echo "Ram... Clear!"
> sleep 15
> echo "Filesystem... Clear!"
> sleep 2
> echo "Your system is free of viruses."
> --- eof ---
>
> Don't forget to do a: chmod 750 /usr/bin/checkviruses
> before starting to use the script.

Neatly free of that pesky halting problem.
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

>
> However, in the case of software, it may cost the same to develop a
> Linux version as it does to develop a Windows version but there may be
> far fewer potential customers so the amount needed to add to the price of
> the software to cover development costs will be higher per copy...


It's a bit like the old story of the bald man who walked into a barbershop
one day. Bald man sez "I need a haircut." Barber sez, "I'll have to charge
you double." "Why double?" sez the bald man. "I've got only half the hair
of most guys." "Yeah," sez the barber, "So it'll take me twice as long to
find something to cut!"
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

Cheerful Pickle wrote:

> Hi, gang,
>
> I heard that since their introduction that Windows has had over 100,000
> viruses attack it while Linux has had only around 40 or so.

There may be < 40 viruses, but I assure you there are several trojans
and ring 0/3 rootkits.

michael
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software 

J.O. Aho wrote:
> Harry Phillips wrote:
>
>> Cheerful Pickle wrote:
>
>
>>> To me an antivirus program is like life insurance. Just as an eighteen
>>> year old will not have to pay nearly as much for life insurance as an
>>> eighty year old, there is no reason a Linux user should have to pay as
>>> much for an antivirus program as a Windows user, yet this often seems to
>>> be the case.
>
>
>> It's not what sort of use you get out of it, it's what is it worth to
>> you for peace of mind?
>
>
> I guess this small script could help for the mind peace
>
> --- /usr/bin/checkviruses ---
> #!bin/sh
> echo "Checking system for viruses"
> sleep 5
> echo "Ram... Clear!"
> sleep 15
> echo "Filesystem... Clear!"
> sleep 2
> echo "Your system is free of viruses."
> --- eof ---
>
> Don't forget to do a: chmod 750 /usr/bin/checkviruses
> before starting to use the script.
>
>
> //Aho
Generally, you don't need antivirus software for you linux machine.
However, if you plan to have machines running Windows connecting to the
Linux box, it is a good idea to have one.
 >> Stay informed about: Question about Linux Antivirus Software