Can Linux get hacked viruses etc and freezeing problems

[Ice613]

I have fedora core 6, but I was wondering if any distro of linux can get hacked, viruses, or anything else that is harmful to the system.

I was also wondering if there is something I could do about fedora core 6 freezeing everytime I try getting updates or work with yum and sometimes running 2 or more programs. Most likely my ram needs to be upgraded because I only have 256mb of ram and 64 of that ram is dedicated to the graphics card, but if anyone else has a good quantity of ram and are having the same problem maybe there is something else I can do to fix this problem

I also would like to go off topic a little and say that I used to have Window's which I have be using for year's, but since I got linux about 3 or 4 days ago I have been having so much fun discovering everything linux has to offer and I am sure that I will never go back to Windows ever again.

Thanks
Ice613

[Roxoff]

It is possible to get hacked, and more probable than picking up a virus or other form of malware.

For viruses, provided you're running your system sensibly (i.e. logging in and using the system as a regular user, not as root) the worst that can happen is you'll end up with a screwed logon, and you end up deleting the user and the user's files/home directory.

If you're worried about being hacked, then make sure your firewall is turned on and nobody can access your machine unless it is in a way that you specify. There are also some pretty good root kit detection packages around - take a browse through your package manager.

[Danny Lawson]

It is possible to get hacked, and more probable than picking up a virus or other form of malware.

But I had heard that Linux is less prone to virus and spyware.

[Roxoff]

But I had heard that Linux is less prone to virus and spyware.

Yes, that's what I said.

[Danny Lawson]

Oh! sorry I misread it.

[burntfuse]

No system is going to be completely virus-free, but there are only a few viruses for Linux, and most of those target servers anyways, so I'd be really, really surprised if anyone's desktop actually got attacked.

In FC5, the package manager used a lot of RAM, and it's probably the same way in FC6, so getting more RAM might help. Even just another 128 MB could help (it doesn't need 1 GB like Vista!). What processor do you have?