Linux Users - Do You Run A Virus Scanner?

[Jayce]

Not going to lie, sometimes I get funny looks from fellow Linux users when I say I run a virus scanner. As much as I preach Linux's security, there are still vulnerabilities there as we tech-forum members are aware of. But it's amazing how many Linux and Mac users sincerely think they are completely 100% immune to viruses.

Even if I'm not scanning my system to find a Linux virus, it still benefits everybody I know if I scan my own system for viruses. Case and point - I've found several times Windows viruses embedded in my Linux drives. This was due to the systems that auto-backup to my file server transferred the viruses to me, but even still, this is how infections spread. Email attachments, flash drives, external media, etc.

I know there's a few users around these parts who tinker with Linux and run their own servers for various reasons. Do you guys run regular virus scans?

 

[mikesgroovin]

I have a few servers sitting in a technology park and I run bi-weekly scans, but I never find anything. I have a sonicwall sitting in front of them as well. Yea, I run into at least 1 user a week with osx or some distro of linux (more so the former) and they are more or less behind the "I'm 100% safe" thought process.

 

[CalcProgrammer1]

No, for that matter I don't run Windows scans either. I know that viruses can come from many sources but if you browse safe in Windows you're really not likely to get anything. Most viruses I've seen people get come from untrustworthy sources, shady websites, LimeWire, etc. I stay clear of those sites and haven't had an issue. When I have a suspicion that my system may be compromised (visited a bad site, clicked a bad link on accident, got a suspicious file, etc) I install AVG Free and run a scan, but having it installed and running in the background eats CPU and RAM and slows computers down.

On my server (Windows XP) I don't run scans, but I'm reinstalling it and will probably install a virus scanner to periodically scan my server drive. I may switch to a Linux server soon. If the server was for business, school, or any other organizational use (and not just a personal server) I would definitely run a virus scan regularly on it, you can usually trust yourself but you can't always trust other people, especially if it is for a large group.

 

[kmote]

Nope.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

I don't run an av on either of my Linux systems but that's mainly due to their uses and isn't the result of a false sense of security. One of them isn't networked so their is no real risk of infection and the other is used for testing so it's reformatted often enough that I'm not really worried about any data on it.

 

[SagoPaul]

I have ClamAV running to scan incoming emails, but this is mostly to prevent trouble with Windows clients. I generally don't scan things for the actual server itself, unless the origin is questionable. I can't say I've ever had any positives when used in this manner (but it works great when saving a relative's home computer (from a liveCD)).

If possible, I stick with software in my distro's official repositories. A false sense of security maybe, but I trust the signing mechanisms of RPM and DEB to a fair degree. Warning messages about invalid signatures get my immediate attention.

 

[Aelustelin]

I have never had to run an AV until I was tasked with running my school's servers. But then I only did it to cover my ***.

 

[office politics]

what popular virus scanning apps are available for linux?

when i had linux installed, i don't think i ran a av cus i didn't know of any. now that i think about it though, i could have prolly searched for packages.

 

[NoNameNY]

I run one on my debian box just because. I have never needed it

 

[kmote]

what popular virus scanning apps are available for linux?

when i had linux installed, i don't think i ran a av cus i didn't know of any. now that i think about it though, i could have prolly searched for packages.

clam is the only one I know of.