One of the people who switched to Ubuntu Linux recently, phoned me asking what kind of antivirus they should have installed. Quite frankly, I’ve never given that a thought. I’ve used Ubuntu for some time and have never had any virus issues, ever. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that Linux is impervious to a computer virus, rather I’m suggesting that (currently) it’s not an issue. As a matter of fact, I did a bit of research and found out that there are viruses, worms and malware that effect our Linux based systems.
Needless to say, my original answer to this individual saying “I don’t think we need to worry too much about that”, was perhaps not the most accurate perception. Just look at these links which clearly list some of the nasties that can effect our Linux systems (and took less than 1 minute to find):
Viruses and Worms: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_computer_viruses#Worms
Malware: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware
Viruses: http://vx.netlux.org/ (http://vx.netlux.org/vl.php)
Needless to say, I’ve since installed antivirus on my Ubuntu system. Partly because of what I’ve learned in research and partly for ethical reasons. Imagine if an email sent to you contains a nasty Windows-based virus. Well… not being Windows based, I couldn’t care less, but if I forward a message that contains that payload to a windows user, he or she is not going to be happy (and in my opinion rightfully so). A couple others who are Linux users disagree with me saying, it’s up to everyone to protect their own systems. Personally, I think that perception is a band aid solution (and not very ethical). Think of it this way, if someone surreptitiously installed software on your system to participate in DDoS, would that be okay, as long as it did not effect you? Of course not! So the same ethics should apply to preventing our “safer” systems form forwarding on viruses and other negative payloads. The point is, if you have a computer virus, you don’t pass it around. But what’s a quick fix?
After Googling around a bit, I learned that AVG has a good antivirus of Linux. (And there are many others). I picked AVG simply because it was easy to find and subsequently, easy to install.
The download link for the Linux version is here: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/us/frt/0?prd=afl Ubuntu users should select the .deb version (currently 7.5.51). Save that to your system, perhaps the desktop. (I did this using Ubuntu Feisty, 7.10). After the download has completed, it’s a simple matter to just double-click the .deb file (in my case it’s called “avg75fld-r51-a1243.i386.deb”).
The package installer will begin (and ask for your password). The install is seamless, it’ll do everything for you.
To use the antivirus, you’ll find a new icon here: Applications –> Accessories –> AVG for Linux Workstation. Simply click on that and follow along. Very easy, and only took a few minutes to do.
For those newer to Linux, or those looking for a quick antivirus solution, I hope this post was helpful! 
Update 1: I found a nice tutorial on howtoforge.com that shows how to install Avast, Linux Home Edition on Ubuntu Linux (Gutsy). From their site: “…although there aren’t many Linux viruses out there, this can be useful if you often exchange files with Windows users - it can help you to not pass on any Windows viruses (that don’t do any harm to Linux systems) to Windows users. avast! Linux Home Edition is free for private and non-commercial use…” You can use the tutorial provided by them here: “Virus Protection With avast! Linux Home Edition On Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon”
Update 2: For those interested in a simple hands-on project, try this: Create a Linux Antivirus Server to Protect eMail - A Brief How to
Technorati Tags: linux, ubuntu, antivirus, discussion, malware, solution, avg, open source
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There are 29 comment(s) added so far...
Even now I don’t think that it is neccesary to use AV on my linux desktop. These virii are mostly aimed at small servers. These are often badly looked after. So if they are infected, they can be used to spread spam, windows virii, etc.
However if linux continues to develop in favor of home users, security will suffer from it. Linux’s first lines of defence, the file permissions and root account, prevent the unauthorised spread of virii on your system. However these security systems are anything BUT friendly to a first-time linux user. If these were to disappear in the name of useability, Linux would suddenly become way more vulnerable. Ubuntu made the first step in ignoring the root account and relying upon sudo to handle permissions. Don’t get me wrong, I like Ubuntu but this is one of the few things I don’t like about it because it is a double-edged development.
For now I still feel safe enough to run AV-Free
@Rick - You’re right! You’ve also raised a pertinent issue in that Linux based mail servers could forward such nasties on. So it seems to me you’ve isolated a very important aspect. I agree too; as a first time user, Linux can take quite a bit of getting used to. I remember when I started, I gave up on it a couple times (early Red Hat days). But returned with Fedora, Debian and finally Ubuntu. From my friends who converted to Ubuntu, they raised the same issue you pointed out (some of the configuration aspects being harder top grasp).
A few thoughts on this—
There is a bit of controversy surrounding viruses and GNU/Linux.
From what I understand, there are only about 500 theoretical viruses for a GNU/Linux system. There are over 60,000 for windows systems. Any anti-virus software for linux (KlamAV, AVG, etc) DO NOT protect against Linux viruses; they protect against WINDOWS viruses. You see, of all the Linux viruses “out there” the majority are purely theoretical–written by college students and enthusiasts. This is not because fewer people use Linux; that’s a fallacy. The fact is that it is extremely difficult to write a Linux virus as UNIX systems run multi-user enviroments (specific permission sets are given to specific processes depending on the user). More than 60% of the internet is made up of Linux servers. Finally, the only reason that Linux Servers ever run anti-virus software is because they interact with windows machines–through samba, for example. They simply do not wish to help spread any viruses.
Now this is not to say that there aren’t a TON of security exploits out there—there are!
@yochai - Thanks for the informative input and perspective. Your thoughts make a lot of sense! I think your input really clarifies a lot for the rest of us. Particularly the issue of “true” Linux viruses and that existing antivirus packages are primarily created for environments where cross-platform networking is required. (As a side note: The permissions/process/service issue was one of the harder ones for me to get used to).
Only 60%???? I thought it was higher than that!! Smiling here… Hee hee hee…
First we, the F/L/OSS community, create free operating systems for everyone to use, and we’re shunned. Then we create great applications to run on our system, and we’re shunned. Then those apps get ported to Windows machines, and they’re occasionally used but often shunned. And now you want that we protect those users from their own ignorance?
I’m sorry, but there are great, Free (GPL) applications for every use, including an antivirus for Windows, ClamWin based on ClamAV; there are also no-cost AVs for Windows all over, including AVG for Windows.
If people are going to just willynilly click and open files on an unprotected, or underprotected, system after years of people telling them otherwise, its unlikely that their first malware app is coming from you (or whomever send the file from a safe Linux computer).
My CPU cycles do what I want them to on a Linux computer, and that doesn’t include protecting the world from themselves when we’ve been trying for years to get them to do just that. I’ll give them words, advice, links to apps and articles about protection, but not my own computer resources.
@ left.crupps - Shunned? Then how is it that distributions (like Ubuntu) are growing in user-ship? How is it that Open Source applications are becoming more and more common? http://ubuntulinuxhelp.com/top-100-of-the-best-useful-opensource-applications/
Shunned? NO way! Smiling here…
I agree that people need to educate themselves more!! And stop mindlessly clicking stuff. But… I also agree that people need to be informed of alternatives and given the resources to learn. As I think Rick and yochai also rightly pointed out, installing Antivirus on my system might in certain environments be a wasted gesture.
I think users in general really need to educate themselves. Shunned or not, your input is quite valid (”…willynilly clicking…”). At first your comment came across as negative, until I stopped and actually “listened” to what you said.
Oh… and by the way… I really liked your post about Synergy - Sweet! http://gnuski.blogspot.com/2008/02/quicksynergy-quick-howto.html
thanks roger—
To further exemplify the inherited process argument, lets give an example:
You open firefox as a normal (ie non-root) user. No matter what you do from here, any program or file executed by firefox will only maintain your permission set; ie if you downloaded a nasty executable it STILL couldn’t hurt your machine as it only had the rights of the program that downloaded it— namely firefox, which is being run by you, the normal user.
That’s just a beautiful thing, fi you ask me.
by the way, check out wubi.
http://wubi-installer.org/index.php
Ooooooh Wubi looks sweet! (I’ll try it out over the weekend!! - On an older Windows box).
Hee hee hee… people at this end learned a lot from your input. And for that matter, so did I. 
Cheers!
Thanks for the follow up.
The “Windows Weenies”
@Roger: Yes, Ubuntu and Linux in general is growing, and as excited as I am about that, people are moving there for (some of) the wrong reasons, I think. Eventually, however, they may come to learn about and appreciate the reasons FLOSS exists– namely, the GPL and the rights it gives.
But a lot of computer users are just that — users, who have no interest in becoming learners. And that really saddens me. Maybe this is overkill, but its like a new parent just having a kid rather than taking an interest in her (maybe overkill, not sure yet)
Thanks for the comment on my post about QuickSynergy, I’m checking your blog now!
For anyone not familiar with FLOSS (Free/Libre/Open Source Software), commented by lefty.crupps, please see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FOSS and here: http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html
From experience, when I first started using OpenSource solutions, I thought I was doing it to get “free” software (because I had trouble affording proprietary software). At that time, I was not aware that I was getting a far more valuable commodity. Knowledge! Migrating motivated me to learn more (far more) and to garner a better command of technical/computer related things. It (in my opinion) liberated me from the “point-and-click” thought process, enabling me to think in innovative ways to arrive at a solution. Over time I found that the “community” at large are very generous in sharing information and solutions (including “fixes”). In my opinion, those that participate and/or drive the OpenSource community and its various projects are great people!
[…] Read more here. […]
You know most of them are obsolete since Linux kernel updates right?
@Qusai - I do now.
Read the input from yochai, it’s pretty good.
[…] about Linux virus issues has been very informative. (You can read the post and the comments here: Does Ubuntu Linux Really Need Antivirus Software?). Some of my “Windows Weenies” friends (you know who you are) Keep telling me that […]
Well I guess I’m bitter. I do not use an anti-virus on any of my Ubuntu boxes. Microsoft’s behavior is upsetting, and I find its OS’s substandard at this point.
Free and Open source software in many cases is the only viable competitor to Microsoft software. Between patent saber rattling, and charity involving windows somehow… Is just slowing Free Software uptake.
So I propose stop saving the Windows machines. Let them crash and burn. If the design is so flawed, they should fix the bugs.
Maybe some people will stand and take notice, and decide to make an effort to try something else.
[…] we were discussing if Ubuntu Linux needed antivirus software. (If you missed the post, it is here: Does Ubuntu Linux Really Need Antivirus Software?) During the course of the discussion, one of our readers (from TechCollective) suggested we try out […]
“Why GNU/Linux Viruses are fairly uncommon”
evilmalware 0.6 (beta)
Copyright 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005
E/17 |-|4><0|2z Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is
NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY, COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF IMPORTANT
DATA or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE (eg. sending thousands of Viagra
spams to people accross the world).
Basic Installation
==================
Before attempting to compile this virus make sure you have the correct
version of glibc installed, and that your firewall rules are set to `allow
everything’.
1. Put the attachment into the appropriate directory eg. /usr/src
2. Type `tar xvzf evilmalware.tar.gz’ to extract the source files for
this virus.
3. `cd’ to the directory containing the virus’s source code and type
`./configure’ to configure the virus for your system. If you’re
using `csh’ on an old version of System V, you might need to type
`sh ./configure’ instead to prevent `csh’ from trying to execute
`configure’ itself.
4. Type `make’ to compile the package. You may need to be logged in as
root to do this.
5. Optionally, type `make check_payable’ to run any self-tests that come
with the virus, and send a large donation to an unnumbered Swiss bank
account.
6. Type `make install’ to install the virus and any spyware, trojans
pornography, penis enlargement adverts and DDoS attacks that
come with it.
7. You may now configure your preferred malware behaviour in
/etc/evilmalware.conf .
SEE ALSO
evilmalware(1), evilmalware.conf(5), please_delete_all_my_files(1)
ClamAV is available on Ubuntu repositories. To install:
sudo apt-get install clamav avscan
[…] month we posted “Does Ubuntu Linux Really Need Antivirus Software?” Where there was a bit of discussion as to whether Linux needed antivirus software installed. […]
I agree with lefty.crupps on the pointlessness of running mail scanning av’s, if someone can’t be bothered protecting their pc, they should suffer for doing so… Even on my (rarely used) windows machine I don’t use an AV, I have something called a brain.
[…] “…To further exemplify the inherited process argument, lets give an example: You open firefox as a normal (ie non-root) user. No matter what you do from here, any program or file executed by firefox will only maintain your permission set; ie if you downloaded a nasty executable it STILL couldn’t hurt your machine as it only had the rights of the program that downloaded it— namely firefox, which is being run by you, the normal user…” You can read the full post and discussion here: Does Ubuntu Linux Really Need Antivirus Software? […]
As a system administrator, I have plenty of access of to laptops to use as I please. The problem is they are all 4 years old. So I took a discarded laptop and installed Ubuntu to see if Linux really is “ready for prime time”. I had zero Linux experience and I just learned as I went along. The thing that has impressed me the most is how much faster things ran on the Linux box compared to an identical machine with Windows XP and I started to wonder why? Is it the OS? Is it the apps? Or is it because I don’t have those processor intensive, resource hungry AV and Antispyware apps running on it?
@Bob Townsend - Funny you would mention that. I have an old P166 with 64MB of RAM. I loaded up Win 2000 and then Ubuntu 7.04. I thought the Win 2000 installation ran reasonably well considering the limited resources. I was surprised at how much faster Linux ran! I assume it’s an issue (in part) of extra driver information being loaded?
[…] March I posted “Does Ubuntu Linux Really Need Antivirus Software?“. The comments provided by readers was very informative and I learned quite a bit from […]
I’m a recent Windows convert, although I have tried using Linux in the past (Suse, and previous Ubuntu versions). The things that put me off in the past were the difficulties installing as a dual boot, driver issues for existing hardware, ease of use (although admittedly this was more lack of learning on my part), and not having all the same software I had under Windows.
I’ve just installed Ubuntu using Wubi, and after having used it for a week or so I’m about ready to ditch Windows for good this time.
The only last sticking point I had was the issue of Virus/Firewall/Spyware software. Having read this article and the comments I realise that AV is not really needed. My webmail has AV included so any downloads will be scanned, and if any Windows users don’t have AV then that’s their problem.
My router has a Firewall, although I may still install a software one.
So the only other thing to consider is anti-spyware. Is there any spyware problems for Linux users (key loggers, malicious websites etc)
[…] a Linux operating system on your PC instead of Windows (no dangerous malicious code in wide circulation […]
I am a Windows user thinking of giving Ubuntu a try. I have read all the comments here and can’t help but wonder. As Linux continues to gain in popularity, wouldn’t one expect that Linux viruses would become more and more prevalent? Given my bad experiences with Windows, I want to make sure that I am protected from what I see as inevatable, which are Linux based viruses. Unless I misssed something, it appears that all the antivirus programs mentioned look for Windows problems, not Linux.
@Dick - You might want to research what yochai was saying:
“…of all the Linux viruses “out there” the majority are purely theoretical–written by college students and enthusiasts. This is not because fewer people use Linux; that’s a fallacy. The fact is that it is extremely difficult to write a Linux virus as UNIX systems run multi-user environments (specific permission sets are given to specific processes depending on the user). More than 60% of the…”
I’ve never had a virus issue since I started using Linux. I do know that different services run with different accounts and different permission settings and access rights.
Also, you may want to read Joe Barr’s article here: http://www.linux.com/feature/60208 (He explains the issue in more detail).
Hi There,
i really like your blog, very informative and useful.
I also installed an AV program on my ubuntu laptop, for the same reason you mentioned, to serve and protect windows users.
It is nice to know that inferior OS users are protected by superior OS users