Most of what I know has already been posted by other repliers. However, there are a couple of things I believe are worth saying twice.
Don't run as root. Take the time to create a user. Linux has fewer problems, at present, than other OS, but that does not mean they can not or will not happen. Let me ask you this - do you use a browser? Do you use the internet in a gui environment? Viruses today are old hat in the malware business. While the server admin who posted has a point that his machines are on 24/7, most exploits today arrive at your machine via your browser. Infiltration is done using various techniques - but primarily through your browser. Since the servers are not, or should not be, using a browser, they are immune to this type of attack. Take the time to look up pwn2own. This is an annual contest. Notice that Macs have been the first to fall every year except one, if memory serves. Macs use OSX - which - like linux - is derived from unix and has the same inherited tamper-resistant architecture. But a major part of that architecture is user rights. People will tell you Linux doesn't get busted. But that is because nobody tries - there is no money to be had for breaking into Linux (yet). Those guys breaking into Macs and Windows at pwn2own are making a lot of money - the contest is a pittance in comparison. So, linux is safer, at the moment, in part because of obscurity. Fine - it is still safer. As is pointed out, viruses tend not to work well on Linux, if they work at all. You could design a virus that would recursively write to the hard drive - but it could only fill the partition it resides on at worst. This could crash the OS, but you could recover using a boot disk. Unless you were running as root, in which case it could overwrite every file on the hard drive. Malware, on the other hand, can be designed to work on linux. Rootkits are known - and rootkits would fall in the malware category. Back to running as root - do you ever use wireless? Do you ever use your computer away from home? Do you have a wifi router in your home? Do you have a street that runs by your house? Maybe you live in an apartment complex? How many people could "see" your router's wifi signal? Wireless is still vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks - and if you sit down at your local Starbucks and log on, and you are running as root, you have just opened up your box to any competent hacker who wants in. But maybe you say "No", all you ever use is a wired network, at home, or at work. Good, that cuts down on one entry possibility - but like I said - most of the exploits in the real world today get in through your browser. When you are running as root, an exploit would not need the extra step of escalating it's privileges to be successful. So, there ya go. 2 messages. Viruses are not a worry on Linux - but I think some have actually been written. Malware is not a particular worry yet, but it could be. Rootkits do exist, and there are rootkit detection programs. Nothing on Linux will stop social engineering exploits, and I believe "man-in-the-middle" attacks could also be successful to grab any transmitted data. Some of the other guys here will assuredly have more knowledge than I about that. There are good gui firewall appliances for free, and they should be used. I use no-script with Firefox, and Chrome now has a similar utility. You can buy a firewall/AV package, I suppose, but on Linux I do not see why. The Linux anti-virus packages I know of are to detect Windows viruses. And, as far as security is concerned, if you are concerned about security, running as root is like leaving your front door open. Those are my thoughts. Sudo and su are too easy once you have set them up. On Tuesday, October 11, 2011 6:27:35 PM UTC-4, Fujiwara Kaito wrote: > > I have heard that Linux computer viruses exist, but I have never had to > deal with any, I also do not know of anyone who has had the problem. > > (I have never even read reports of a virus infecting Linux) > > I use the root account for everything, so I had avast! for Linux for > awhile. (recently got rid of it when cleaning up) > > Has anyone ever here ever had any problems with Viruses in Linux, or had > any removed by any of the various anti virus utilities for Linux? > > It really doesn't seem like anything to worry about, but some "experts" > try to push anti virus utilities on Linux. (it seems they just want people > to use their product) > > Thoughts? > On Tuesday, October 11, 2011 6:27:35 PM UTC-4, Fujiwara Kaito wrote: > > I have heard that Linux computer viruses exist, but I have never had to > deal with any, I also do not know of anyone who has had the problem. > > (I have never even read reports of a virus infecting Linux) > > I use the root account for everything, so I had avast! for Linux for > awhile. (recently got rid of it when cleaning up) > > Has anyone ever here ever had any problems with Viruses in Linux, or had > any removed by any of the various anti virus utilities for Linux? > > It really doesn't seem like anything to worry about, but some "experts" > try to push anti virus utilities on Linux. (it seems they just want people > to use their product) > > Thoughts? > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Linux Users Group. 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