Author Topic: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?  (Read 18973 times)

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J.ensen

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Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« on: July 02, 2009, 12:40:39 PM »
Hi Avast Forum

I Use avast Home edition free om my Windows machine.

And on another with ubuntu 9.04 I was planning  to do so.

But I want to ask about something before I do.

1: Can I get it in Danish language?
Like on Windows version.

2:
Most people, who use Linux/ubuntu say there is no need for anti-virus programmes.

Well. I am new to ubuntu.

Is anti-virus program really needed on a machine with only ubuntu?

I don mind installing it.
Better to be 110% safe.

But is it correct or not that it is not important to have anti-virus progams on Linux?

Guess in some way it is -
otherwise avast did not make one!

But can you please tell me some fact about it?


Greetings J.ensen from Denmark

Offline FreewheelinFrank

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2009, 01:13:17 PM »
Hi J.ensen,

I would say that if you're a home user who only installs software from trusted repositories (Cononical, Medibuntu etc), then no, there's no need for an AV.

In almost two years of using Ubuntu, I've never seen anything but Windows viruses.

If you install Linux software from unknown sources, then yes- it's probably a good idea.

If you feel that a malicious person might have had access to your computer- well it's just possible they might have installed a Linux rootkit.

Only you can judge, really.

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/security

This advice applies only to home users.
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Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2009, 01:32:02 PM »
1: Can I get it in Danish language?
Like on Windows version.
It's not hard to translate the Linux version. Can you give it a hand?
I've translated to my language both versions of avast. For sure, Linux is easy.

I use Kubuntu and, from time to time, not frequently, give it a scan with avast.
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Offline OrangeCrate

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2009, 01:33:00 PM »
Quote
The Truth About Linux and Viruses

1. If you run Linux and only Linux, you do not need antivirus software. In its efforts to make Windows easier to use, Microsoft simplified the process of running executables under its operating system many years ago. Not only can a user launch a program by clicking an e-mail attachment, but it's possible for an executable to launch automatically just by hitting the preview pane of some email packages, including older versions of Outlook and Outlook Express.

Under Linux the steps for launching an executable from an e-mail are separate, discrete steps. A user would have to read the email, save the attachment, give the attachment executable permissions, and then run the executable. And to be truly damaging, the latter two would have to be done as root — not something informed users would allow.

2. If you dual boot Linux and Windows and get a virus-infected mail in Linux, it can NOT jump to your Windows partition. Nor can it spread over the local network to other systems. You can even store the attachment in your /home directory and open the zip or click the file, and it will be dead in the water. Windows executables won't run under Linux. Linux files need to be granted permission to become executable. And even then, it can't spread beyond the home folder. (This is also why Linux AV programs do not have a "live guard" module in them — the virus does not execute or move.) You could even leave a virus executable there as long as you wanted to without risk. Windows will not get infected, unless you deliberately copy the virus to your Windows partition.

3. If you dual boot, however, you better get a good antivirus program for Windows. Microsoft's operating system and its bundled applications, Outlook and Internet Explorer, offer users powerful functionality in their attempts to be easy to use and easy to update. As a result, it's all too easy for virus writers to exploit the same functionality in a malicious way. Don't leave them an opening. Install an antivirus program and keep it updated.

4. The only time you'll need a Linux antivirus program is if you're running a mail server. And that's just good social behavior. It's not to protect your Linux server or client computer so much as to make sure you don't pass a virus on to a Windows system.

http://www.linuxclues.com/articles/21.htm
« Last Edit: July 02, 2009, 02:18:58 PM by OrangeCrate »

J.ensen

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2009, 08:34:13 AM »
 :)

Thank you for your friendly informations.

Greetings
J.ensen

stormer

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2009, 11:36:39 PM »
That article was interesting. So dual-booting Linux/Windows is safe, as long as the infected file doesn't get transfered to the Windows partition.


Offline zilog

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2009, 04:48:58 PM »
Quote
The Truth About Linux and Viruses

1. If you run Linux and only Linux, you do not need antivirus software. In its efforts to make Windows easier to use, Microsoft simplified the process of running executables under its operating system many years ago. Not only can a user launch a program by clicking an e-mail attachment, but it's possible for an executable to launch automatically just by hitting the preview pane of some email packages, including older versions of Outlook and Outlook Express.

Under Linux the steps for launching an executable from an e-mail are separate, discrete steps. A user would have to read the email, save the attachment, give the attachment executable permissions, and then run the executable. And to be truly damaging, the latter two would have to be done as root — not something informed users would allow.

2. If you dual boot Linux and Windows and get a virus-infected mail in Linux, it can NOT jump to your Windows partition. Nor can it spread over the local network to other systems. You can even store the attachment in your /home directory and open the zip or click the file, and it will be dead in the water. Windows executables won't run under Linux. Linux files need to be granted permission to become executable. And even then, it can't spread beyond the home folder. (This is also why Linux AV programs do not have a "live guard" module in them — the virus does not execute or move.) You could even leave a virus executable there as long as you wanted to without risk. Windows will not get infected, unless you deliberately copy the virus to your Windows partition.

3. If you dual boot, however, you better get a good antivirus program for Windows. Microsoft's operating system and its bundled applications, Outlook and Internet Explorer, offer users powerful functionality in their attempts to be easy to use and easy to update. As a result, it's all too easy for virus writers to exploit the same functionality in a malicious way. Don't leave them an opening. Install an antivirus program and keep it updated.

4. The only time you'll need a Linux antivirus program is if you're running a mail server. And that's just good social behavior. It's not to protect your Linux server or client computer so much as to make sure you don't pass a virus on to a Windows system.

http://www.linuxclues.com/articles/21.htm


Nice fairy tale... how nice would it have been on Linux, if it had had those security features well written and well used :).

In the fact, the kernel is full of security quirks (enabling one to get root access when they have gor ANY user-access - namely ptrace one, shmat one, poll...), and the apps contain so much holes in their protocols (buffer overruns, weak keys - remeber that 2^15-key isue with debian/ubuntu SSH keygen :)... so it's really quite easy to 0wn a machine of a particular end-user.

And, lost/forgotten/deposited backdoor/rootkit installer or some of its file is the only thing that might get you clue that this happened to you. And, here might be the antivirus useful.

2) is wrong fully, because nearly all distros mount the different partitions with NTFS/VFAT as well, and there are even viruses, that can infect both ELF and PE executables (so called hybrid viruses: http://antivirus.about.com/library/weekly/aa032801a.htm , for example Benny's Win32:Winux, really no rocket science ).

Yes, it's very easy to catch some infection on freshly-installed windows (even when doing nothing - sasser's blind connections:). It faar more difficult to get one while browsing under Linux, but when your computer is in the focus of a bad guy, the security level is approximately the same.

so, use linux, but don't believe it's the solution by itself - isn't :).

regards,
pc
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Black3agl3

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2009, 08:48:59 PM »
doesn't avast for ubuntu have resident shells?

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2009, 12:07:51 AM »
doesn't avast for ubuntu have resident shells?
No. Linux works different than Windows and have lower requirements.
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Black3agl3

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2009, 05:09:32 PM »
...why is it so? less linux viruses?

edit: and could u plz suggest an AV that has on access scan for linux, if ever that exists?
« Last Edit: August 10, 2009, 05:53:17 PM by Black3agl3 »

Offline FreewheelinFrank

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #10 on: August 10, 2009, 09:20:51 PM »
...why is it so? less linux viruses?

edit: and could u plz suggest an AV that has on access scan for linux, if ever that exists?

It's really not necessary. Been using Linux for almost two years and never even seen a Linux virus.
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Offline zilog

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2009, 11:25:49 AM »
...why is it so? less linux viruses?

edit: and could u plz suggest an AV that has on access scan for linux, if ever that exists?

as i wrote somewhere here earlier, the concept of "resident protection" (on access scanning) always breaks a bit the user-separation idea - thus, it works in behalf of root (avastd + avastguard). yes, it can be emulated a bit in a per-user manner using libc-hooking and ld-linux.so's LD_PRELOAD trick, but... the vast majority of users would be rather annoyed by this king of app-hooking.

regards,
pc
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Black3agl3

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Re: Avast for ubuntu - how & why ?
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2009, 06:45:58 PM »
It's really not necessary. Been using Linux for almost two years and never even seen a Linux virus.
Thx for the info...
as i wrote somewhere here earlier, the concept of "resident protection" (on access scanning) always breaks a bit the user-separation idea - thus, it works in behalf of root (avastd + avastguard). yes, it can be emulated a bit in a per-user manner using libc-hooking and ld-linux.so's LD_PRELOAD trick, but... the vast majority of users would be rather annoyed by this king of app-hooking.

regards,
pc
I'm not sure I understood how to do it... Anyway, it seems too complicated... I don't think I try i will try it... But thx for all... :)