Is antivirus important for Linux systems?

[New_To_RH_Linux]

hi!

Where can I get some but good antivirus for Red Hat Linux?
I am also wondering how often Linux systems suffer from
virus and hacker attacks?

[Flatline]

Antivirus is not yet important for linux systems (although it's nice to have some antivirus if you use your linux machine as a Windows file server). All systems can be hacked, of course, but linux systems aren't really susceptible to viruses (as of yet). I would run your distro's firewall to help keep out the script kiddies.

[dylunio]

As flatline has stated there is no need for antivirus in linux, save if is being used as a MS fileserver.

As well as RH own firewall I would also check out GUARDDOG.

dylunio

[jtkleeme]

I have never heard anyone complain about a virus on a linux box. Most of the security software that comes standard with linux is *if kept up to date* will keep you from being cracked unless somebody really wants to get in. Anything can be cracked if someone really wants to. I am running a router with a firewall on it and my machine has a firewall on it. Somebody would have to be motivated... really motivated... and for what? My address book or a bunch of stuff that you can download for free off the internet or I know they might want my letter to my aunt mildred. Not likely. Just don't make any enemies who know more than you do and stay away from cracker sites. I try not to keep any really valuable information on my machine. Watch out what kind of cookies and pop-ups that you acept. You may not be vunerable to spyware like windows but java can do things that are still kind of amazing to me. Oh and a matter of semantics: In the linux/UNIX world a hacker is someone who fixes things and a cracker is someone who breaks into systems and steals or destroys things. CNN may not make a distinction but we do.
--Jeff--

[UniXoiDe]

Hi,
If you are using Red Hat as server (mail, smb, ...) in ur network (Win9X, W2K), u might apply some security for no linux systems.
Juste try to search the best antivirus for ur server applications.
Good Luck

Chaker

[protocol]

like these guys said, there is no need for an anti-virus in Linux (althogh Linux has had a few in the past like Bliss: Which was more like a trojan, amd W32/Lindose: Which was cross-platform and was able to infect both Windows PE executables and Linux ELF executables). But their isn't much for cocern. If you are running Linux as a Windows File server, like these guys just stated,
then, yea, get yourself an anti-virus.

[UniXoiDe]

protocol, thx for support

[jledhead]

Somebody would have to be motivated... really motivated... and for what? My address book or a bunch of stuff that you can download for free off the internet or I know they might want my letter to my aunt mildred. Not likely.

how bout for you bandwidth. That is the point of hacking machines in many cases is not to steal your information but use your computer to do something that the person or group doesn't want traced back to them. ex.. warez IRC server, DDOS attacks to bring down other servers, all at your expense.


The thing to worry about in linux is trojans. But like said keeping all of your software up to date should keep you secure.

[svin]

See http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_for_linux_serv.html for AVAST antivirus... I use this on on my REDHAT box and Windows XP.

[UniXoiDe]

IDS & IPS programs, Netfilter, Nessus, ... might be the solution to supervise and protect our system.
He just asked us for an antivirus. To talk about DDOS we might have an other forum subject.