Good antivirus for linux

[Nigel]

This is a false idea, as we have on linux a lot of bots & rootkits. Android have a lot of malware & rootkit you can find mainly with stolen software.

The myth that set that linux have no virus is technically irrelevant. As linux have flaws and can be infected with self replicating/ propagating software. The main difference is linux market share in desktop or overall PC market. Same apply for mac OS while it was hit recently with many worms targeting java flaws.

See:

http://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/284...to-viruses

M B

You basically just shot down your own argument.

I said Android needs Antivirus.

Root kits target software (such as PHP), so an attacker has to get into your server before they can apply such a device to your machine.
If you have taken ALL precautions (such as a strong password, mod_evasive, mod_security and so forth) and an attacker still gets in, then there was nothing that could have been done to stop them.

Now as I said above, it's the responsibility of the client to check their emails before they open them, do we blame Google or Microsoft for nasties that creep in our free email accounts? No.

About antivirus, I am used to consider 3 main cases:

2) The computer is used regularly by an "advanced" user who is paranoiac (or have knowlegde) enough to not launch any exectable "to see what it does", to not go without prudence on crack or forbiden websites, to not use inconsiderately torrent download, etc.
-> on such computer I will not install antivirus. I will only do time to time survey and eventually do a scan of all files from another computer or better, from bootable usb key or CD.

Note : I place myself in this category. I have no antivirus on my computer for at least 10 year and never got anything wrong. Each time I have something which make me to suspect a virus, I did a scan and never found any. Instead I found obsolete drivers, hardware failure, sometime unwanted software installed with another product, etc., (and even one time a cat which had peed on the back corner -and airing- of my tower. Dirty beast ! :-( )

3) In all other cases (when I cannot trust enough users' knowledge or paranoia), I install an antivirus BUT I enable scan only for incoming files (as much as possible according to possible config, often on write operation), but not on read or execute operation except for amovible mass storage like usb key or disk.


And finally, I am regularly anoyed by users who complains about some complaint of antivirus (most time licence renewal or false positive), but I do not remember to have to clean an infected computer for many years for close family or friends, only for more far-off friends or relations.

I too don't run any antivirus on any of my Linux machines (except maybe Spamassassin, which isn't really antivirus), but I do on Windows machines (my partners, my daughters & customers) because Microsoft leaves itself vulnerable on purpose so it can make more money.