New linux users must have noticed this. There are antivirus available in the repos. You might question, “But wasn’t I promised that linux is virus free? That was an important reason for me to switch from Windows to Linux.” Well the hard truth is Linux does have it’s own category of viruses. But, the part that will make you happy is that, unless you are *dumb*, a linux virus cannot survive in the hostile environment it is provided with.
Hostile Environment?
You must have noticed that linux expects you to use Super User privileges with care and it is better not to log in using root access. This is to avoid virus spread. Without your permission the virus cannot survive and I bet you are not dumb to let virus survive! There are similarities between the computer virus and the biological virus. Both viruses are tagged successful or dangerous, if it’s multiplication rate is greater than it’s depletion rate. In Windows, achieving this is easy, but Linux thanks to it’s security, is not. So the virus has a hostile environment in Linux, and hence doesn’t survive!
But then why Antiviruses?
There is a virus in linux, and it is clever. It is called Bliss and we can talk about it later. It is experimental and has no harmful intentions I believe. The need for antiviruses is to ensure that you don’t end up infecting your friends computers that are running Windows. Hence you need to make sure that files you have downloaded and those you receive or send to friends are not infected. Of course you are safe, but you need to ensure the safety of your friends still stuck with Windows. Hence Antivirus. Moreover you may be dual booting. So if your Windows gets infected, you can boot into Linux and scan your Windows partitions to easily remove the troubling code!
You can also help friends with having their USB repaired. A virus I encountered few days make disables the USB, hence making it unable to use. It is not recognized by Windows. So plug into Linux (it will be detected! Presto!), scan, clean and save your friend!
What do I use?
I use Avast! Home Linux. You can download it from here. Also since the registration key is needed for it to work. You may get it from here. Do note that the registration key is available for free.
For Ubuntu amd64 architecture users
Since there is no link for downloading a .deb package for amd64 architecture, hence download the i386 architecture package and force install it. Use this code to install.
sudo dpkg –force-architecture -i avast4workstation_1.2.0-2_i386.deb
And to run the installed avast antivirus run this
linux32 avastgui &
Enter the registration key for first time use. And start removing those hiding inactive virus files.
Many thanks to the HOW-TO I found in the Ubuntu Forums for the force installation irrespective of the architecture. I am unable to retrace the link at the moment.
Hope this post was helpful to you.
Hostile Environment?
You must have noticed that linux expects you to use Super User privileges with care and it is better not to log in using root access. This is to avoid virus spread. Without your permission the virus cannot survive and I bet you are not dumb to let virus survive! There are similarities between the computer virus and the biological virus. Both viruses are tagged successful or dangerous, if it’s multiplication rate is greater than it’s depletion rate. In Windows, achieving this is easy, but Linux thanks to it’s security, is not. So the virus has a hostile environment in Linux, and hence doesn’t survive!
But then why Antiviruses?
There is a virus in linux, and it is clever. It is called Bliss and we can talk about it later. It is experimental and has no harmful intentions I believe. The need for antiviruses is to ensure that you don’t end up infecting your friends computers that are running Windows. Hence you need to make sure that files you have downloaded and those you receive or send to friends are not infected. Of course you are safe, but you need to ensure the safety of your friends still stuck with Windows. Hence Antivirus. Moreover you may be dual booting. So if your Windows gets infected, you can boot into Linux and scan your Windows partitions to easily remove the troubling code!
You can also help friends with having their USB repaired. A virus I encountered few days make disables the USB, hence making it unable to use. It is not recognized by Windows. So plug into Linux (it will be detected! Presto!), scan, clean and save your friend!
What do I use?
I use Avast! Home Linux. You can download it from here. Also since the registration key is needed for it to work. You may get it from here. Do note that the registration key is available for free.
For Ubuntu amd64 architecture users
Since there is no link for downloading a .deb package for amd64 architecture, hence download the i386 architecture package and force install it. Use this code to install.
sudo dpkg –force-architecture -i avast4workstation_1.2.0-2_i386.deb
And to run the installed avast antivirus run this
linux32 avastgui &
Enter the registration key for first time use. And start removing those hiding inactive virus files.
Many thanks to the HOW-TO I found in the Ubuntu Forums for the force installation irrespective of the architecture. I am unable to retrace the link at the moment.
Hope this post was helpful to you.
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