Virus Software For Linux

[n3wo]

I realize that topics like this have been posted in this forum, but they have either said "linux doesn't need virus protection, only a stupid user would get a virus" or else they recommend solutions for fileservers. I'm taking a linux machine to school next year, and virus protection is required for any computer on the network. I emailed the IT dept, and they said yes linux is very secure, and yes you must still have virus protection. My question is: will a virus protection package that says it is for a fileserver work on a workstation, and can anyone recommend a virus protection package, either free or not, for an individual RH9 desktop user?

Thanks

[kriss]

The best anti-virus is to keep your system up to date, either with RedHat Network or trough yum/apt.

Good luck

[sarumont]

I emailed the IT dept, and they said yes linux is very secure, and yes you must still have virus protection.

They're off their nut. You can tell them that I said that.

[n3wo]

Thanks guys!
I did download centralcommand's free workstation trial, and it uses up approximately 99.6% of my processor speed whenever I go to open a file or directory. If I turn down the setting so that it doesn't scan all the time, I might as well not have AV software! :P
The school said that there are other student linux users, so I've asked to be put in touch with them to find out what they are doing for anti-virus.

Sorry for the somewhat silly post!!

[jasonlambert]

Thanks guys!
I did download centralcommand's free workstation trial, and it uses up approximately 99.6% of my processor speed whenever I go to open a file or directory. If I turn down the setting so that it doesn't scan all the time, I might as well not have AV software! :P
The school said that there are other student linux users, so I've asked to be put in touch with them to find out what they are doing for anti-virus.

Sorry for the somewhat silly post!!

No problems.

when you talk to the other linux users, dont forget to mention linuxforums.org

Cheers,

Jason

[big_k105]

you could always just have it installed and just keep it disabled that way the it ppl will behappy cause it is installed there and they can think that it is scanning but you will know it wont be

[sarumont]

Good idea, k. I'd be interested to see what the other Linux users are doing for this. Send them over to register, and they can post how they meet these reqs.

[loft306]

Obviously the professionals that dont use linux are still realy clueless and just tow the party line(EVERYBODY has to have anti virus software) rather than look into how linux works and is secured, ane the fact that anyone using it at this point realy probably knows more that they do..

[Opnosforatou]

I realize that topics like this have been posted in this forum, but they have either said "linux doesn't need virus protection, only a stupid user would get a virus" or else they recommend solutions for fileservers. I'm taking a linux machine to school next year, and virus protection is required for any computer on the network. I emailed the IT dept, and they said yes linux is very secure, and yes you must still have virus protection. My question is: will a virus protection package that says it is for a fileserver work on a workstation, and can anyone recommend a virus protection package, either free or not, for an individual RH9 desktop user?

Thanks

Download and install the ClamAV.
Let it update itself at regular basis and make sure that the daemon is booted at boottime.
Should give you some resonable protection.

The Link.

:smoke:

[n3wo]

Thanks Opnosforatou, I downloaded and installed clamav, and it will manually scan the entire harddrive in two hours!! (It is only 15 Gb, but Mcafee takes almost three hours for less than 10 G ) I'm having a little trouble installing the daemon, and I'm not on the internet with linux, so the auto-updater will have to wait!!