On Mon, 2003-08-04 at 09:08, Tony Vance wrote: > Hi everyone, > > I've heard that viruses are less of a threat for unix-based machines, > but is it still wise to use anti-virus software? If so, what are the > options? Any open source options?
Sure. Check out software from Kaspersky labs http://www.kaspersky.com/. Straight Open source solutions do exist somewhere, I suppose, but the need just hasn't really manifest itself. Basically, in my opinion, Antivirus software in general seems an awful lot like a protection racket. Basically MS's poor policies and software has created the need for this type of software, and although MS now has the capability to make Windows just as resistant to viruses as Unix is, but they have to incentive to do so, because of that huge software market they have created. Basically Linux is vulnerable in the following ways: 1. Outside intrusion through a service. 2. Inside intrusion from a user that exploits some local vulnerability (setuid programs, etc). 3. Inside intrusion from a program, or a trojan (such as was found in one version of OpenSSH). All viruses rely on some degree of social engineering, which linux seems more immune to, mainly because it's a bit more complicated for users. Viruses simply cannot spread in Linux the way they do in Windows because the security model makes it much harder. For example, if you receive an attachment that is executable, it is never "previewed" automatically. I guess the short answer is, don't worry about viruses at this point. I have yet to see a real linux virus in all the years I've used it. Michael > > Best, > > Tony > > > _______________________________________________ > newbies mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://phantom.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/newbies _______________________________________________ newbies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://phantom.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/newbies
