Security. What do linux users need to know?

[Anupam]

I have copied the thread here on Linux forum .

Oh OK, so Avast deb version is not available for 64-bit versions of Linux. Thanks for sharing this information .

[wdhpr]

Thanks Anupam

As I read the comments coming in, It seems that anti virus software is not as critical with linux. With a caveat As distro's become popular and attract more users one could assume viruses will be created. However they wont be as effective as they are in windows.

Cheers
Wdhpr

[bob2345]

If you want to learn linux the try either LFS: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/ or Gentoo.

How many 64bit viruses are there?

This is worth a read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware

[wdhpr]

bob2345

This is worth a read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware

This article tells the tale

Cheers
Wdhpr

[bk_7312]

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware

Cross-platform viruses

A new area of concern identified in 2007 is that of cross-platform viruses, driven by the popularity of cross-platform applications. This was brought to the forefront of malware awareness by the distribution of an Openoffice.org virus called Bad Bunny.

Stuart Smith of Symantec wrote the following:

"What makes this virus worth mentioning is that it illustrates how easily scripting platforms, extensibility, plug-ins, ActiveX, etc, can be abused. All too often, this is forgotten in the pursuit to match features with another vendor... [T]he ability for malware to survive in a cross-platform, cross-application environment has particular relevance as more and more malware is pushed out via Web sites. How long until someone uses something like this to drop a JavaScript infector on a Web server, regardless of platform?"

Cross-platform viruses? Wow, I wasn't even aware that such things even exist! Does that mean that in future, it doesn't matter what OS you use, you'll still get infected? And here I was, thinking that all I need was a firewall...

[bob2345]

None exist in the wild as far as I'm aware. Most of the scaremongering came from Kaspersky in 2006 and a proof of concept was created in 2007. I wouldn't be too worried.

[lonny]

Warning Requires: Reading & Thinking

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/foobar/6229

[MidnightCowboy]

If anyone's interested I added the 64 bit version of BitDefender to my Ubuntu today but I doubt it's doing that much apart from using resources. At least it gives me something else to do when I'm bored!

Had no problems with the install or updates and it's scanning fine.

http://techreviews.in/installing-fre...on-ubuntu-904/

[wdhpr]

If anyone's interested I added the 64 bit version of BitDefender to my Ubuntu today but I doubt it's doing that much apart from using resources. At least it gives me something else to do when I'm bored!

Good Find!
MidnightCowboy

I'm using the amd64 version right now. doing a before update scan and a after update scan.
The scan sure likes paying attention to the windows software I have with Wine.
Looks allot better than Clam.

Cheers
Wdhpr

[MidnightCowboy]

Originally Posted by wdhpr

Good Find!
MidnightCowboy

I'm using the amd64 version right now. doing a before update scan and a after update scan.
The scan sure likes paying attention to the windows software I have with Wine.
Looks allot better than Clam.

Cheers
Wdhpr

I'm sure there must be a lot of Linux "regulars" laughing their socks off now but if having just a bit of this stuff helps us feel better and maybe prevents us passing things to Windows users then I think that's fair enough. I tried Clam and just didn't like it, especially when it wouldn't update. I was thinking I could have had Avira Linux for that?!

The original link I found for this I think gave around 400 days free license and mine said 215 on install but I saw on their site somewhere that this can just be renewed for free again when it runs out.