"Antivirus" for Linux?

[KA5LQJ]

Hi All,

After seeing the post about how 600k Macs are possibly infected with that
Flashback maleware running in JAVA, I'm wondering of Linux has a good
Antivirus/Antimalware program. At one time, there was an F-Prot, but I'm
not sure if it's the same as the one mentioned. Yeah, I too was told for
years that MACs and Linux didn't get malware, now we know better as they
become more popular. I know too much about NORTON and McAFEE and
their 'exploits' to get you to sign-up again and not being able to delete the
program, without reformatting the whole drive, tha Bassturds(fish poop).
Any suggestions as to a good AV would be 'Welcome'.

Well, the grandson will be over later this afternoon to help me find another
hard drive to fit in the Dell 2400. I know I have an 8 gig as well as an 80
gig. I'll have to check to see if there is data worth keeping on them, then
use them to get Xbuntu 10.10.

Starting out with an older, more stable version will allow me to become
more familiar with the inner-workings, especially those that deal with digital
ham radio. I want to try out the digital modes, including Morse code by
typing it, rather than sending with a straight, telegraph key. I won't go
into all the details, but I know it works with very little rf power, less than
five watts and I can work the World.

Hopefully, it will also allow me to capture pictures of planets, star clusters,
galaxies and here on Earth, mountains, valleys, forest, streams, rock
outcrops, all without any sign of man: roads, power lines, cell towers, etc.

I also want to download MOST kinds of music, except jazz, metal, and rap,
LOL! Yes, I listen to Opera, German(Wagner), Italian(Vivalidi) and Country
& Western (Hank Sr., George Jones, & Emmy Lou Harris.

But, right now, I need to finish the calculations for a long-boom, 440 mHz
FM quad antenna.

Respectfully submitted,
Regards,

Don/KA5LQJ

[G4LNA]

I don't know who told you the MAC's and Linux don't get malware or virus, because they both can. Not in quite the same way that Windows can, but they can be propagated using social engineering techniques, in other words it's getting the intended victim to click on a link to a web site to download and install software on their machine. It looks like this is how that happened on the latest MAC infection, both MAC's and Linux are very secure, but you can't fixed stupid, that's where the human element comes in.

You don't need anti virus on Linux, the best anti virus is between your ears

Just to add, as it gets more popular, than more people that use it there are going to be a significant number of people who are going to install their Linux without understanding what they are doing, I have seen this when newbies start asking why they can't run in root to save having to enter their password every time, this is where the stupidity comes in, because that is one of the main reasons why Linux is so secure, to install anything you need to enter your password that makes you think twice about what you are doing.

[KD8DEY]

Avast has a linux version
http://www.avast.com/de-de/linux-home-edition

[KA9JLM]

The best antivirus setup is a backup of the system.

No mater what OS you run.

I do believe.

[KD8DEY]

Packard-Bell came with virus per-installed.

[KA5LQJ]

Hi Paul, All,

Well, I'm a good, ol' Southern boy and I have been warned about using Root or Admin, unless I'm completely disconnected to the I-Net, LOL! If anything, I would try to only go there when
absolutely necessary and then the computer would be completely unpluged from a wireless rounter or any device that could put me at the mercy of the Internet.

Most of the work I do using the computer would simply bore a "cracker" to death, mostly database stuff concerning radio frequencies and antenna calculations, I don't keep any of
my financial or private info on the machine, LOL!

Awhile back, I heard something about IP-Chains that were rules written to block threats.
Once I get my dual-boot computer going, I'm going to put a server ahead fo both my box,
the wife's computer and another one I'll have for music, like a computer jukebox, LOL!

It's comforting to know that unless I download a program I know nothing about, I'm safe.

Thanks for the advice.

GOD BLESS,
Regards,

Don/KA5LQJ

[G4LNA]

It's not crackers you need worry about, I don't think any cracker in their right mind would hack into a private computer, unless they wanted to commit suicide by boredom

The biggest problem is nasties getting onto the machine, for instance key loggers or other software that can take over the computer. The problem with Linux is it can handle loads much better than Windows can because it won't slow down, villains love to get into Linux boxes to install software to turn the box into a zombie and they can write scripts to protect their investment from discovery and hide it from any of the anti virus programs. We are not talking script kiddies here, these are professional criminals who know what they are doing. Luckily, most Linux users are generally computer savvy and are aware of these issues.

I think you probably mean IP tables which are used to configure firewalls, if you have got an old computer knocking around that is not being used then it can be pressed into service, it doesn't have to be a high spec machine and once it's set up it doesn't need a monitor or keyboard.

[AB9LZ]

The panic over the mac virus was overblown, it applied to folks using safari in combination with a java applet... Most folks don't use safari (at least the ones that know better) and applets are all but dead. The real threat was pretty minor in the grand scheme of things.

Linux antivirus is super easy, sudo to a differnt user that you've setup for internet browsing, and hit all of the russian porn sites to your hearts content

73 m/4

[KA5LQJ]

The panic over the mac virus was overblown, it applied to folks using safari in combination with a java applet... Most folks don't use safari (at least the ones that know better) and applets are all but dead. The real threat was pretty minor in the grand scheme of things.

Linux antivirus is super easy, sudo to a differnt user that you've setup for internet browsing, and hit all of the russian porn sites to your hearts content

73 m/4

Russian Porn sites? LOL! Remember the commercial ad some years ago, featuring some heavy set woman in a farm dress that looked like she could pull a plow all by herself? That's about my "luck' in getting into a Russian Porn site. Still married to that same gorgeous lady for 40 years now and I have all I need at home.

GOD BLESS,
73,

DOn/KA5LQJ

[KC9UDX]

Well, I'm a good, ol' Southern boy and I have been warned about using Root or Admin, unless I'm completely disconnected to the I-Net, LOL!

I will never forget one day (15 yrs ago, maybe?) was in an IRC channel and a bunch of guys suddenly started telling me I'm an idiot because I was logged in as 'root'. I tried telling them I wasn't logged in as anything, but they wouldn't listen and eventually ping-flooded me, or did some other trick I don't understand to get Un*x machines to crash. I did lose my internet connection, so I reconnected and went back in to the same IRC channel and they were all astounded that I rebooted so quick.

I was using a Commodore-Amiga A3000UX running AmigaOS 3.1. In fact, I'd be using that computer to this day if the CPU socket didn't come unsoldered.. Anyone know how to fix a ball-grid-array socket that came partially unsoldered without destroying the board?