The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

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sunewbie

The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by sunewbie »

I was listening to richard stallman on youtube and found this link

The Truth about Malware and Linux
In this Q&A session with Ryan Naraine, Kaspersky Lab malware researcher David Jacoby dispels the myth surrounding Linux as a malware-free platform and makes the case that misconfigurations and other security problems on Linux contributes to the malware epidemic on Microsoft's Windows operating system.
This guy is blaming Linux is responsible for malware epidemic in windows, and also says that some may purposefully pack malware in linux servers, which when interact with windows PC, will transfer this malware code and affect it. :evil:

He does not know that Linux is open source. :)

I did not even watched the entire video
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xenopeek
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Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by xenopeek »

Well, I managed to watch 3 minutes before blacking out. Why did you make me watch a Microsoft commercial? The comments on the Youtube page gave me some good laughs though :wink:

Linux is not immune to malware, that is true. And sure, some Linux servers are probably not managed adequately, but the same goes for Windows, BSD, or whatever else servers. Just depends on who manages the servers :wink:
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/dev/urandom

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by /dev/urandom »

"Open source" does not mean "malware-free". Remember the OpenBSD incident?
Grez

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by Grez »

I saw this video sometime last year I think, and TBH I thought it was a joke. Looking at it again, I still do! :D

Everyone knows that Linux isn't malware-free, but it's so much less susceptible to attack than Windows.
/dev/urandom

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by /dev/urandom »

Grez wrote:it's so much less susceptible to attack than Windows.
No, why?
Grez

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by Grez »

/dev/urandom wrote:
Grez wrote:it's so much less susceptible to attack than Windows.
No, why?
Sorry, ain't going to rise to it sunbeam. You'll have to troll someone else. :wink:
/dev/urandom

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by /dev/urandom »

You make wrong statements and are not willing to back them up. Now consider who is trolling again.
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Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by xenopeek »

/dev/urandom wrote:"Open source" does not mean "malware-free". Remember the OpenBSD incident?
Most here just use Linux Mint or another flavour of Linux. The video was about Linux, but if you want to say something about OpenBSD, please at least include a source link for those that are curious.

Do you mean the scare OpenBSD had in 2010 when it was revealed the FBI had allegedly paid a company to allegedly write a backdoor into OpenBSD's open-source Internet security library, IPsec? Which turned out to be false BTW, though some bugs where found while doing the code audit. http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... -backdoor/
/dev/urandom wrote:
Grez wrote:it's so much less susceptible to attack than Windows.
No, why?
Please stop trying to make every topic a debate about Windows vs. Linux, or about outarguing others :( You're doing so at the expense of the topic at hand each time.
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/dev/urandom

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by /dev/urandom »

xenopeek wrote:Most here just use Linux Mint or another flavour of Linux. The video was about Linux, but if you want to say something about OpenBSD, please at least include a source link for those that are curious.
I was answering to the "Linux is open source" POV which does not say anything about malware IMO.
xenopeek wrote:Do you mean the scare OpenBSD had in 2010 when it was revealed the FBI had allegedly paid a company to allegedly write a backdoor into OpenBSD's open-source Internet security library, IPsec? Which turned out to be false BTW, though some bugs where found while doing the code audit. http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... -backdoor/
Yep, I meant that. Linux might be open source, but open source also means that evil persons can see security flaws easier; and, as Linux is a community project, it should be rather easy to add backdoors to the kernel if they are just hidden well enough.
xenopeek wrote:Please stop trying to make every topic a debate about Windows vs. Linux, or about outarguing others :(
You might have noticed that Grez compared Linux to Windows initially, not me.
Grez

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by Grez »

/dev/urandom wrote:You make wrong statements and are not willing to back them up. Now consider who is trolling again.
:lol:
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Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by xenopeek »

Right, back on topic please!

I just looked up Kaspersky, seemed it was just a commercial for themselves. They sell anti-virus and security solutions for Linux, also for servers :D http://www.kaspersky.com/applications_list
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sunewbie

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by sunewbie »

Well, what I mean to say is that fire can produce both positive and negative. It can burn something or cook food. So you cannot blame fire. It depends upon who you use it.

Better part is that, Linux is FOSS. So in case of such allegations, a 3rd party can investigate, which is not possible in proprietary.

Never meant to defame windows.

It's just marketing policy. What kaspersky says can happen, and no OS is bullet proof. Even Richard Stallman says the same. But FOSS nature, active community, will not allow monopoly and also save time in not reinventing the wheel, except if you want total control on the evolution of a particular app and do not wish to depend upon the developer, then you will have to re-write an app in your way from scratch. Else just take it from where it was left and continue development.

@xenopeek

While posting I thoughts it's fun stuff and a childish act from kaspersky, because even an end user like me would know that though this can theoretically happen it is less likely, due to FOSS nature and also it can be fixed soon.
Why did you make me watch a Microsoft commercial? The comments on the Youtube page gave me some good laughs though
+1 :)

First comment says it. ;)

I knew only Avira AV and Clem AV for linux.

But you caught the neck. Kaspersky sells their products for Linux. just like insurance agents, AV devs earn out of fear ;) - thats there business :D

EDIT:
btw, criticism makes one strong ;)

@all

% of such thing happening is practically zero (negligible), but it's a subjective issue, and depends upon person to person.

as Clem say in official guide. 'If there is any bug, then there will be a lot of talk about it, and we would like to hear about it. ' (unless someone customizes for a company with the intention to manipulate data).

I have taken it lightly. Just wanted to share it with you guys :)

Thanks
Sunewbie :)
/dev/urandom

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by /dev/urandom »

sunewbie wrote:Better part is that, Linux is FOSS. So in case of such allegations, a 3rd party can investigate, which is not possible in proprietary.
GIven that the proprietary parts of Linux are trusted, right?
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Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by xenopeek »

I always choose my hardware so that I can run Linux without any binary blobs. I've been firmware free since 2006. Thanks Intel :mrgreen:
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/dev/urandom

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by /dev/urandom »

Congratulations! Is there a list for that?
sunewbie

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by sunewbie »

/dev/urandom wrote:
sunewbie wrote:Better part is that, Linux is FOSS. So in case of such allegations, a 3rd party can investigate, which is not possible in proprietary.
GIven that the proprietary parts of Linux are trusted, right?
Even a new born baby is covered with a diaper :lol: - so no matter how much transparent you are, some parts are always covered ;)

This is not in control of Gnu / Linux and so Linux cannot be blamed for this. Should it be? If any malicious code is wrapped in driver then it's because of hardware company's dirty mischief.

Am I right or am I right?

My PC is free from proprietary hardware. I use Linux at home. I do not play games, so I do not have a dedicated graphic card like nvidia.

For my requirements like surfing net, listening music, burning DVDs, etc does not require any proprietary drivers.

So no worries for me :)
/dev/urandom

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by /dev/urandom »

sunewbie wrote:This is not in control of Gnu / Linux and so Linux cannot be blamed for this.
Of course it is. There are binary parts in the kernel itself, so who, if not "Linux", can be blamed? ("GNU/Linux" usually covers only the blob-free parts, according to RMS himself.)
sunewbie wrote:My PC is free from proprietary hardware.
All hardware is proprietary, or can you download a printer?
sunewbie

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by sunewbie »

/dev/urandom wrote:
sunewbie wrote:This is not in control of Gnu / Linux and so Linux cannot be blamed for this.
Of course it is. There are binary parts in the kernel itself, so who, if not "Linux", can be blamed? ("GNU/Linux" usually covers only the blob-free parts, according to RMS himself.)

Then I will have to change the perspective of Linux. I am not a pro like you and so cannot answer such technical questions.
sunewbie wrote:My PC is free from proprietary hardware.
All hardware is proprietary, or can you download a printer?
oops sorry, I mean to say driver. my apologies.

As I remember when I installed Mint, and it searched for proprietary drivers, It did not found anyone :)

What would be the correct terminology

Thanks
/dev/urandom

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by /dev/urandom »

sunewbie wrote:Then I will have to change the perspective of Linux. I am not a pro like you and so cannot answer such technical questions.
I am not a "pro" and I would never claim to be one. I only spent a lot of time with the FLOSS philosophy. :)
sunewbie

Re: The Truth about Malware and Linux - Kaspersky

Post by sunewbie »

/dev/urandom wrote:
sunewbie wrote:Then I will have to change the perspective of Linux. I am not a pro like you and so cannot answer such technical questions.
I am not a "pro" and I would never claim to be one. I only spent a lot of time with the FLOSS philosophy. :)
your avatar, screen name and signautre, made me thought that you are a pro.

Cheers :)
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