Poll: Do you use any type of AV on your Linux?

[Schultz]

Okay, I'm curious about this, even though this is probably a waste of time. Do you use any type of AV or anti-malware apps on your Linux machines? Not servers, just desktops/laptops.

Of course I selected "No" as using an AV on Linux desktop is useless.

[BenTrabetere]

I was using ClamAV with WinXP prior to switching to Linux - I used it for maybe three months before the false positives became too tedious.

[Amii_Leigh]

Actually, I was wondering why the option "why?" wasn't included. Oh, I also used ClamAV before I gave up on winxp.

[Schultz]

Actually, I was wondering why the option "why?" wasn't included. Oh, I also used ClamAV before I gave up on winxp.

I don't understand how "Why" can be an option. Either a person uses AV or not.

[sleeper12]

I was using ClamAV with WinXP prior to switching to Linux - I used it for maybe three months before the false positives became too tedious.

Yep, me too before I found it isn't needed for Linux.

[Samarian Sunset]

No AV on my Mint....I find it a breath of fresh air not to have to worry about AV & Malware scans, like I use to on Windows 7.

[AZgl1800]

Why bother?
the chance of me clicking on a Spam Email link and getting a Windows Virus on my Linux machine is ZERO

plus, my modem has a hard Firewall that just got updated by T-Mobile last week.

[karlchen]

Firewalls may protect you from intruders. Firewall will not protect you from malware infections.
Different attack vectors. Different tools needed to protect you from intruders on the one hand and from malware on the other hand.
Quite a different issue is that existing antivirus "solutions" in general do a very poor job in protecting users from malware.

[AZgl1800]

Firewalls may protect you from intruders. Firewall will not protect you from malware infections.
Different attack vectors. Different tools needed to protect you from intruders on the one hand and from malware on the other hand.
Quite a different issue is that existing antivirus "solutions" in general do a very poor job in protecting users from malware.

the chance of me getting a Malware Infection, is just about ZERO.
I watch where I go.

Even with Windows 7 and prior, I have never had a problem with Viruses and Malware.
my current laptop has Win10 on the OEM SSD, I just left it there and have a 2nd SSD for Linux.

AV stuff is for folks who have no clue about surfing the 'net... and have a severe case of Paranoia.

[Termy]

I guess I'm that one guy who does. Controversy alert! I don't use that stuff often, but I do occasionally use ClamAV, chkrootkit(8), and rkhunter(8). I even wrote a program which checks for a little over 70 rootkits (not its main feature, it's just an added extra). I mainly do it for when I transfer anything between Linux and a Windows machine. I'm not too concerned, because I do understand that Linux has vastly superior security to that of Windows, but I like to be mindful.

[rambo919]

People tend to look down on people who have security software installed as "idiots that do stupid things and want software to buffer them from that" but..... no one is that perfect that they never do anything that puts them at risk. Accidents happen.

If nothing else a good full suite is like having a gun, a condom and painkillers..... better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

And on the other hand a firewall is useful for closed source programs.... you don't need anyone knowing anything they don't absolutely need to.

[Moem]

a good full suite

And what would you conser to be a good full suite for Linux?

[rambo919]

a good full suite

And what would you conser to be a good full suite for Linux?

That depends on people smarter than me in this area but at a minimum I would say a file shield, scanner and firewall..... that uses (at least optionally) dynamic alerts for fast exception creation rather than just deleting everything in sight that smells virussy.

I really don't (mostly) see the need for extra VPN, password protection, etc baked into the same suite..... unless it's cheaper/easier collectively than separately.

Most of the "advanced ultra extra value added's" on these suites are not even done properly... they promise a princess and give you a tramp.

[rene]

If nothing else a good full suite is like having a gun, a condom and painkillers.....

/me watches rambo919 shoot himself in the foot while trying to scratch a latex-allergy itch and then dying from a painkiller overdose.

[Moem]

And what would you conser to be a good full suite for Linux?

That depends on people smarter than me in this area but at a minimum I would say a file shield, scanner and firewall..... that uses (at least optionally) dynamic alerts for fast exception creation rather than just deleting everything in sight that smells virussy.

I mean, which full suite are you recommending?

[nielo]

I think there should have been a "Don't know" option. Some people have Linux Mint installed on their machine by a relation/friend/supplier and do not necessarily know whether or not they have an anti-virus package installed...

[ironbark]

Firewalls may protect you from intruders. Firewall will not protect you from malware infections.

I' use my Linux Mint full time without AV or firewall If I turn the firewall on Linux Mint won't recognise my Canon printer's flat bed scanner, so I leave the firewall permanently turned off. Haven't had any issues by doing that.

[rambo919]

And what would you conser to be a good full suite for Linux?

That depends on people smarter than me in this area but at a minimum I would say a file shield, scanner and firewall..... that uses (at least optionally) dynamic alerts for fast exception creation rather than just deleting everything in sight that smells virussy.

I mean, which full suite are you recommending?

For Linux as far as I am aware.... none exists.

The best AV thus far is ESET and I am annoyed they don't support it as well as they could... but it's fast and functional. And ESET has the added benefit that the license is tied to the machine not the OS so you can boot all sorts of OS's on the same machine with the same license.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Firewalls may protect you from intruders. Firewall will not protect you from malware infections.

I' use my Linux Mint full time without AV or firewall If I turn the firewall on Linux Mint won't recognise my Canon printer's flat bed scanner, so I leave the firewall permanently turned off. Haven't had any issues by doing that.

Yet (or that you know of).

[Termy]

If I turn the firewall on Linux Mint won't recognise my Canon printer's flat bed scanner, so I leave the firewall permanently turned off.

That's because you need to set up a rule, I expect. If you open up GUFW, you can do that quite easily. When you enable the firewall (UFW/GUFW), all incoming connections are forbidden, which is a very practical approach from a security perspective, but perhaps not from the perspective of the average computer user, presumably hence why it's not enabled by default.