Is Anti-VIrus Required In Linux??
People new to linux after installing first ask about anti-virus,when they are told that its not required they show disbelief thinking that its a big lie.The are convinced that Anti virus is must as in windows.
Viruses in are spread by Instant messengers,cookies,email softwares or portable drives which takes the malware from infected machines and place it in our system.They are very likely to be executed as there is no authorization required for executing applications in Non-Linux Os.
Microsoft created windows to enable others to run applications on your computer.Bill says that this architecture enriches the user experience if a website can do "cool" stuff on your system. The only people who have any advantage with this design are anti-virus makers and other security providing companies.
In linux its not the case,as users are allowed to login with some limited privilege only.If one need to install software we must grant root privilege by typing root password.The root password is encrypted with a very good algorithm that no virus till now is able to access it automatically.So if the user install packages only from trusted source ie linux repositories etc.There is virtually no risk,as virus cant install by itself in linux.Without root privilege at most a virus can do is delete files in home folder.
I donot mean that there are no viruses for Linux.Virus exists for linux.Here is a list of linux viruses from Wikipedia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_computer_viruses.
But donot be frightened seeing this list because without root privilege at most a virus can do is delete files in home folder nothing else.The List of windows viruses are about 5o times more than this list!!!Its so big and keeps on expanding that actually no one care to make list of windows viruses...
But if your computer is connected to a network having windows systems.Then windows systems can get effected from the virus transfered from your computer.So Anti-virus is recommended in Linux servers for the safety of windows computer connected.
Clam Anti-Virus(ClamAv) is a free open source anti-virus which have virus detection rate similar to proprietary Anti-virus.Avg is also a good free option for Linux Servers.
CONCLUSION:
Desktop linux users just need to install firewall like firestarter as a precaution.
But anti-virus is highly recommended in Linux servers.
Viruses in are spread by Instant messengers,cookies,email softwares or portable drives which takes the malware from infected machines and place it in our system.They are very likely to be executed as there is no authorization required for executing applications in Non-Linux Os.
Microsoft created windows to enable others to run applications on your computer.Bill says that this architecture enriches the user experience if a website can do "cool" stuff on your system. The only people who have any advantage with this design are anti-virus makers and other security providing companies.
In linux its not the case,as users are allowed to login with some limited privilege only.If one need to install software we must grant root privilege by typing root password.The root password is encrypted with a very good algorithm that no virus till now is able to access it automatically.So if the user install packages only from trusted source ie linux repositories etc.There is virtually no risk,as virus cant install by itself in linux.Without root privilege at most a virus can do is delete files in home folder.
I donot mean that there are no viruses for Linux.Virus exists for linux.Here is a list of linux viruses from Wikipedia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_computer_viruses.
But donot be frightened seeing this list because without root privilege at most a virus can do is delete files in home folder nothing else.The List of windows viruses are about 5o times more than this list!!!Its so big and keeps on expanding that actually no one care to make list of windows viruses...
But if your computer is connected to a network having windows systems.Then windows systems can get effected from the virus transfered from your computer.So Anti-virus is recommended in Linux servers for the safety of windows computer connected.
Clam Anti-Virus(ClamAv) is a free open source anti-virus which have virus detection rate similar to proprietary Anti-virus.Avg is also a good free option for Linux Servers.
CONCLUSION:
Desktop linux users just need to install firewall like firestarter as a precaution.
But anti-virus is highly recommended in Linux servers.
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