Hi,
On Sat, 17 May 2008, samwise wrote:
2008/5/12 paul paulcamel500@yahoo.co.uk:
Should I be using anti-virus & spyware for Linux as well?
You want spyware for Linux?? :p
However, if you get sent a word document with a macro virus whilst it won't effect you, you might inadvertently pass it on to other Windows users by accident, for example.
What about Linux viruses? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Virus)
If you care enough about this unlikely threat, you could consider
Unlikely? How would you know that you were infected with a Linux virus if you dont have a Linux anti-virus?
But yes, clamav would be a good idea. It also means that if you were in Linux and you downloaded some programs for Windows, you'd feel safer.
I don't believe there is a direct equivalent of anti-spyware or a personal application firewall for Linux,
Tripwire/aide/chkrootkit/rkhunter to name just 4. There's also snort and all those that have strange names like SAINT (which might be SATAN now or vice versa). Just like anti-spyware tools in Windows allows you to detect malware (you'd hope), these tools just listed will help you do the same. Granted, I've never come across an intergrated too with whizbang UI interface like the Windows equivalents - there may well be a F/OSS project that does just that.
As for personal app firewall, I think I read in the snort docs ages ago that you could configure it to drop routes to hosts that seemed to be attacking you, and the dropping would be automatic. I think you'd get an email notification about it too. Maybe some NIDS experts on here can confirm that.
but you're unlikely to need them.
Seriously, we need to stop this attitude that Linux is invincible. It isn't.
- Srdj.