[Gllug] Anti-virus

[michael norman]

On Tuesday 22 October 2002 11:17, Jason Clifford wrote:
> On 22 Oct 2002, Eric Lee wrote:
> > Having moved from Windows 98 to Linux only recently, it's dawned on me
> > that I don't have any anti-virus set up.  A friend told that I wouldn't
> > need one.  But in the Linux mags, I've seen Clam and others mentioned.
> > What do people think?  As someone who receives a lot of email, often
> > virus-infected, am I still vulnerable even though I don't use Windows
> > anymore?
>
> To date Linux has proven to be an unattractive platform for the writers of
> viruses.
>
> Part of the reason for this is that Linux (like all *NIX systems) employs
> a system of permissions that prevents a regular user from altering any
> system binaries so a virus would be very limited in what it could achieve.
>
> There have been worms - recently openssl (and through it web servers
> running SSL protected sites) was the target of such an attack - however
> even they are easy to avoid by simply keeping your system up to date with
> security and bug fix updates.
>
> The existing anti virus products for Linux are designed not to protect the
> Linux system but rather to protect such clients of the system as are using
> Microsoft platforms - ie PCs using samba hosted file share services and
> clients using the Linux based mail server.
>
> > And if so, which anti-virus do you recommend?
>
> If you are using Linux as your desktop platform I recommend that you don't
> install anti virus software. Instead ensure that you are not running any
> services on your box that you should not be - ie if your system is a
> simple desktop don't run any network services at all! - and that you keep
> up to date with the errata updates from your distribution vendor.
>
> Jason Clifford

How about a machine connected to the net with ntl cable modem ?  Does that 
make any difference with viruses ?

I'm running SuSE 8.1 and all I've done with the firewall that comes with it is 
tick to enable it when configuring the dial up connection ?

Should I look firther into configuring the firewall ?  I know next to nothing 
of such matters, grateful for advice as to what if anything I need to do to 
keep the machine safe.

Thanks

Mike

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