[linux-help] Re: Linux antivirus

[Anne McCadden <ironrose@xxxxxxx>]

Your right about the viruses with linux.  I have heard that there are 
linux viruses that are locked up in a lab so that they are not released 
in the "wild."  With all the virus infected emails that are going 
around, my linux workstations have not been damaged by the infected 
files.  On the win2k computer that is for the job search, I keep the 
Norton AV up to date and run virus scans every couple of days.  

This is what I read about viruses in the Running Linux, 4th ed., pg. 203.

    A "virus" in the classic sense is a program that attaches to a 
"host," which runs when the host (file) is executed.  On Unix (and 
linux) systems, this usually requires root             privileges to do 
any harm, and if programmers could obtain such privileges, the probably 
wouldn't bother with a virus.

    Of course, it is possible to sign packages digitally so that you can 
check where the package comes from, and you can decide for yourself 
whether the package source is             trusted.

    Some companies offer virus scanners for Linux.  These are usually 
meant for mail servers running on Linux systems, however, and do not 
scan the local hard disks, but the     mail spooled on the system before 
it is delivered to (possible Windows) clients.  These virus scanners 
thus scan for Windows viruses, not for Linux viruses.

As far a trojans are concerned, I read about a command using find and to 
search for permissions set at 4000, but I can't find where I read it 
right now.  ~Anne



Michael Osten wrote:

>On Apr 18, 2004, at 11:05 PM, bbales wrote:
>
>  
>
>>I have convinced a friend to add Linux to his new Win XP computer and 
>>he asked
>>about antivirus protection.  Before I tell him it isn't needed, I 
>>thought
>>perhaps I should get a second opinion.
>>
>>There seems to be no HOWTO and not much discussion on the net.  Found 
>>several
>>antivirus products for sale and one downloadable called clam.  He'll 
>>probably
>>have a firewall.
>>
>>Do any of you have antivirus protection on Linux workstations and if 
>>so what
>>kind?
>>
>>Are there viruses out there?  Yet?
>>bruce
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>>
>>    
>>
>
>The anti-virus packages are needed only if the linux box is going to be 
>serving files to windows (such as a file server or mail server, etc.).
>
>
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>  
>

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