Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

[wildalaska]

I got Mint working, it's real nice. About to leave the Microsoft plantation!

But I need antivirus, firewall, and malware programs. Running an Intel based ASUS machine, which came with Win7.

Any suggestions? Is Symantec able to run under Mint? What about Malware-bytes?

Your wisdom will be appreciated.

[Moem]

Mod note:
I've removed your all-caps and huge letters again, please stop doing that.

But I need antivirus,

No, you don't. This isn't Windows. Switch on your firewall, and you're done. You can find it by typing 'fire' in the menu search box.

[DAMIEN1307]

if your running windows...you need anti-virus...in linux you do not...read the following page from easy linux website which will explain the basics of security built into linux distributions...then please come back where we can help you with any other questions you may have...DAMIEN

https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... t/security

[Schultz]

As has been said, you don't need AV in Linux. I know it can be hard for newbies to believe, but it's true. (Read the link DAMIEN1307 gave, it's good advice. The whole site is really.)

Mint already comes with a firewall, Gufw. It's off by default so you need to turn it on.

[AscLinux]

This is the mindset of Windows users - viruses come and infect your computer. In actuality there needs to be a vulnerability, a security hole for viruses to exploit. Windows has thousands of security holes, in other words, it does not have the first line of defense. Thus it relies on AV software for protection. Unfortunately, all major AV software providers agree about 1/3 of badwares slip through undetected. As a result being online with a Windows computer is like a lottery, you may get infected or you may not. And there is nothing you can do about it.
Conclusion. If there was any kind of certification for online security no Windows device would pass it. Like cars without brakes are not legal on public highways. But of course, Microsoft has huge influence, it declares itself an important part of US economy. So we lose billions annually to computer criminals who use happily Windows computers as a platform to commit their crimes. In past when your computer got owned you could notice it slowed down and your internet speed was affected. Today you won't notice anything. The CPU's are powerful and internet speeds are high. Your Windows computer may host an application used remotely by cybercriminals for years and you wouldn't know.

[phd21]

Hi wildalaska,

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

It would help to know more about your system setup. If you run "inxi -Fxzd" from the console terminal prompt, highlight the results, copy and paste them back here, that should provide enough information.

As everyone is stating, Linux users do not need anti-virus and anti-malware applications installed.


Previous post - Need for an antivirus.?
viewtopic.php?f=90&t=238726&hilit=malware+detect

Hope this helps ...

[AscLinux]

Let's put it this way. There are two kinds of computer threats - badwares (viruses, trojans, malware, whatnot).

1. The ones that use a vulnerability of your OS to gain unauthorized access.
2. The ones that con the user into installing them.

As a Linux user you need to worry only about the second kind. Do not install anything you do not know it comes from a trusted source.
I think there was even a case a malware made it to Google apps and the results were rather catastrophic, it was installed from a trusted source! So do not let your guard down!

[karlchen]

I got Mint working

Great.

But I need antivirus, firewall, and malware programs.

• Antivirus software:
  No, you do not really need it, because Windows malware will not work on Linux Mint and will not be able to infect it.
• Firewall:
  Yes, but it comes pre-installed. You enable it by executing sudo ufw enable
• Malware programs:
  Definitely not. You do not want any malware programs on Linux, the same way as you do not want malware programs on Windows. Typically, you do not install malware deliberately, typically, it comes on your system unasked-for. But you do not want it there. I do not.
  The best way of preventing malware from entering your system is by installing software only from the official software repositories.

[richyrich]

For internet security, I have installed Ublock Origin add-on in Firefox . . that's it.

[AscLinux]

For internet security, I have installed Ublock Origin add-on in Firefox . . that's it.

I have also uMatrix.

Regarding firewall. You do not need it behind a NAT router. The whole IPv4 address space is under constant scan by bad guys, that's true. But these scans cannot reach you behind NAT router.
OTOH, if you get infected then the firewall can't help you.
Scenario:
You visit a web site you read daily, say local newspaper. It is always been safe. But ... one day it get's hacked (cross-site scripting), these webmasters may not notice it for months. As a result your Windows computer gets infected. It is an almost innocent piece of software. It masks itself as a web browser and opens an encrypted tunnel to port 443 at some remote address, in other words, it calls home. There is no way a firewall would know it is not you connecting to a HTTPS web site. Meanwhile this remote hacker has unrestricted access to your computer to do whatever they want. Spy on you, attack other computers, bitcoin mining, etc, etc.
Remember, there are no border patrols on the internet. A blackhat in Russia or China is just a few keystrokes away from your precious computer!

[majpooper]

This is exactly why I believe we need a Security/Privacy section with tutorials on this forum.
Of course I will get flamed because the purist take the parochial position that the forum should only be OS centric.
Yes, the reality is the linux mint OS itself is relatively pretty secure out of the box - obviously nothing can be guaranteed to be 100% secure in the cyber world. Heck, you don't even need to turn on the firewall and install firejail and you are still much more secure than Windows, at least IMHO.

The real security/privacy vulnerabilities are in our browsers, routers, ISPs, what DNS revolvers we use etc. and of course these have absolutely nothing to do with the linux Mint OS perse. But in my experience with the folks I install and configure linux Mint for come from a Windows environment and are looking not only for performance mostly in terms of stability, (evidently updates are a nightmare from what I hear) but for a safe environment in which to access the Internet but have no idea how to accomplish that objective after switching to linux Mint.

I believe providing security/privacy HOW TOs, tutorials and advice would be extremely helpful to new linux Mint users and an opportunity we should not dismiss out of hand.

[smurphos]

But these scans cannot reach you behind NAT router.

In theory true but it relies on your router provider/ISP maintaining said router firmware and providing firmware patches for vulnerabilities when discovered, and if that's not an automated process you as a user installing said firmware patches if they are available. There are a lot of vulnerable consumer grade routers out there. I'll keep my per machine firewall on thanks...

[DAMIEN1307]

hi majpooper...i agree 100%...this always comes up with people new to linux who do not know any better after just coming from windows or mac...and yes a very thorough section covering browsers should be a part of it along with suggested extension applications to be used for improving browser security right down to even suggesting browser settings that should be applied...great observation ...DAMIEN

[kukamuumuka]

Simply do not install anything but use ..

[DAMIEN1307]

if common sense is so common, why dont more people have it?...lol...DAMIEN

[turtlebay]

Two thoughts.

1. Why is the firewall turned of by default? Can't Clem program it so it's on by default with the option for the user to turn it off if they desire that risk?

2. This subject about antivirus is asked regularly on the forums by newbies. How difficult is it for Admin to make a sticky near the top of the forum that explains what we all tell the Windows refugees, entitled Antivirus in Linux ?

[mingle]

It's a bit complacent to think Linux is safe...

Things like this show that care is still needed:

https://linux.slashdot.org/story/18/11/ ... s#comments

Cheers,

Mike.

[smurphos]

https://linux.slashdot.org/story/18/11/ ... s#comments

Cheers,

Mike.

Both the vulnerabilities exploited by that trojan were patched a while back for vulnerable kernels. Unless you are chronically adverse to applying security updates to your kernel you are safe.

https://people.canonical.com/~ubuntu-se ... -2094.html
https://people.canonical.com/~ubuntu-se ... -5195.html

[SnuffGear]

This is exactly why I believe we need a Security/Privacy section with tutorials on this forum.

Good luck with that. I proposed this years ago and got flamed for my effort. The general consensus seems to be that since it's Linux, no worries. Guess again.

[karlchen]

Hi, SnuffGear.

The reason why so far a dedicated Linux Mint Security sub-forum has not been created is not that we all foolishly assume that Linux Mint were unbreakable. We, the forum team, do not think so. At least, this is how I perceive it.
The reason rather is that a dedicated Linux Mint Security sub-forum is not totally unlikely to attract a substantial number of self-assigned security experts and people wearing tinfoil hats, who spread their own fears and paranoia as hard facts.
How will the majority of forum users tell apart self-assigned security experts from real security experts?
Do we have any real security experts among our forum users? (How to identify them as such?)

Best regards,
Karl