Is it important to hava an antivirus program for Linux?

[WinAndLinuxTutorials]

Some people say Linux is immune to viruses, but I am not 100% sure about it.
Also, I've found avast! Linux Home Edition, I think there was a goal from creating this antivirus for Linux as I have heard about some others.

But, is it necessary to have an antivirus program on my Linux operating system?

 

[Tom172]

Although not as prevalent as Windows malware, there is quite a bit aimed at Linux based Operating systems. An important issue is that Linux can be a carrier for malware, which although may not infect the Linux operating system, can spread to Windows machines via email and other methods.

They wouldn't make AV's for Linux if there was no need to.

 

[Jack]

Does Avast for Linux scan in real time or it is just an on-demand scanner?

 

[WinAndLinuxTutorials]

Does Avast for Linux scan in real time or it is just an on-demand scanner?

Maybe it has real time protection. You can also go here and see: http://www.avast.com/linux-home-edition#tab2

Please correct my information if it was wrong.

 

[Ink]

I voted No.

To continue from Tomo172 reply. I would say if your Windows OS is running an updated AV, there shouldn't be much of a problem.

Does Avast for Linux scan in real time or it is just an on-demand scanner?

I've used it before, it's only on-demand.

 

[Dejan]

I seriously doubt you need an antivirus product for a Linux-based OS. While Linux isn't immune to malware or exploits, they aren't nearly as common (and don't function the same) as on Windows (where the least you would need to do to get infected is run a bad executable). All you need is to set-up a good firewall (which I believe Ubuntu has built-in) and use your brain.

 

[HeffeD]

As long as you use a firewall, aren't running as root, and only download software from reputable sources (such as the official repositories) there isn't very much concern. With a normal user account, software is going to require root access to install, which is not something that is going to happen without you knowing about it.

 

[Hungry Man]

No. I'd actually very much recommend against it.

You can use the built in tools in Linux to secure it much better than any AV. All an AV will do is provide attack surface, pick up Windows malware, and slow your computer down.

1) Linux is not targetted. Normally I say security through obscurity is a scam but there are exceptions that allow it to be somewhat effective ie: there's a serious patch managment team etc.

2) Linux allows you to restrict applications very effectively. It's not pretty and I don't even think there's a GUI for it but you can do it. Linux by default has some restrictions on applications.

 

[HeffeD]

All an AV will do is provide attack surface, pick up Windows malware, and slow your computer down.

Not quite sure how an AV will provide an attack surface, :huh: nor how it will pick up Windows malware. (Windows malware won't run on Linux) And since the only Linux based AV's I'm aware of are on-demand, I don't know how they could slow your system down.

1) Linux is not targetted.

Oh, it's targeted all right... Since the majority of webservers are running Linux, Linux is quite a lucrative target. Unfortunately, (for malware authors) Linux by default, just isn't very easy to infect.

 

[Dejan]

how it will pick up Windows malware. (Windows malware won't run on Linux).

To prevent spreading it to Windows systems.

 

[LoftedAphid86]

I voted No.
Even if a Linux machine does become infected, the worst that could really happen is that you would have to boot up a live CD to both backup files that are at risk because of the infection and replace infected files with clean copies. As stated before, the only time where you would really need to run an antivirus program on Linux is if you were transferring files from a Linux machine to a Windows machine, but even then, you would not really need any form of real time protection actually on the Linux machine.

 

[Hungry Man]

All an AV will do is provide attack surface, pick up Windows malware, and slow your computer down.

Not quite sure how an AV will provide an attack surface, :huh: nor how it will pick up Windows malware. (Windows malware won't run on Linux) And since the only Linux based AV's I'm aware of are on-demand, I don't know how they could slow your system down.

1) Linux is not targetted.

Oh, it's targeted all right... Since the majority of webservers are running Linux, Linux is quite a lucrative target. Unfortunately, (for malware authors) Linux by default, just isn't very easy to infect.

I seriously doubt most servers are running Ubuntu and I very much doubt ANY servers are being targeted primarily by malware - more likely direct attacks.

AV's provide attack surface because that's what attack surface is. Exploitable code.

You can still download windows malware even if it won't run. I mostly meant that as a joke though but yeah I've downloaded windows malware onto a linux machine before.

 

[HeffeD]

I seriously doubt most servers are running Ubuntu

Who said anything about Ubuntu?

I said most webservers are running Linux. Linux does not mean Ubuntu.

Unix variants are run on around 63% of all webservers. (Public at least...) And of that 63%, just over half are running Linux.

Usage Statistics and Market Share of Unix for Websites, October 2011

Netcraft has a survey of the 41 most reliable (Uptime) web hosting companies. Of those 41, 26 are running Linux.

Hosting Providers sites ordered by OS

 

[Hungry Man]

I said that linux is not targeted as in personal computers are not targeted.

What does that mean? It means direct attacks not malware.

Users have nothing to fear from an attack on some company, it won't mean more malware for them.

Linux could have 100% of the server game and it still wouldn't matter.

1) Direct attacks on companies won't include spreading socially engineered malware or exploits, servers aren't used for browser (ideally)

2) Most servers are not running personal linux distros like Ubuntu/Mint and most users are not running server distros. Malware won't effect every distro the same and exploits definitely won't cross between a lot of distros.

 

[Valentin N]

Some people say Linux is immune to viruses, but I am not 100% sure about it.
Also, I've found avast! Linux Home Edition, I think there was a goal from creating this antivirus for Linux as I have heard about some others.

But, is it necessary to have an antivirus program on my Linux operating system?

there is no need but it won't hurt to have one, just in case.

 

[Dejan]

Some people say Linux is immune to viruses, but I am not 100% sure about it.
Also, I've found avast! Linux Home Edition, I think there was a goal from creating this antivirus for Linux as I have heard about some others.

But, is it necessary to have an antivirus program on my Linux operating system?

there is no need but it won't hurt to have one, just in case.

To be honest, it would, in my case anyway.

 

[Deleted member 178]

no OS is safe from malwares, Linux and co. are not democratized enough to make them appealing for true cyber-criminal; when it will be, then we will see linux malwares emerging.

"why i should waste time and effort to rob a well secured bank with 10 customers when i have one with poor security and millions of customers"


meditate, meditate...

 

[Valentin N]

Some people say Linux is immune to viruses, but I am not 100% sure about it.
Also, I've found avast! Linux Home Edition, I think there was a goal from creating this antivirus for Linux as I have heard about some others.

But, is it necessary to have an antivirus program on my Linux operating system?

there is no need but it won't hurt to have one, just in case.

To be honest, it would, in my case anyway.

in which way?