Does Linux immue to virus?

[cariboo]

[offtopic]TOMBSTONEV2, good to see you here[/offtopic]

However, the wrong concept of no anti-virus is required for Linux/Ubuntu is spreaded even anti-virus is not 100% useful. The proof is here.

Edit :

No known Linux virus in the wild does not mean that it does not exist as we do not know. There are many exploits in the wild but not well known for the Windows systems or us.

For malicious hackers, they will not willing to disclose it when they discovered a vulnerability.

Samiux

I agree, but, using Linux, we don't depend on huge corporations, to give us programs that can prevent or stop malware, our user-base is probably one of the best out there when it comes to detecting problems of any sort, whether it be bugs in software, or something that just doesn't seem right.

I'm not sure what your history is with Ubuntu and the forums, but a few years back one of our members downloaded a theme package from http://gnome-look.org/, with in minutes, he posted the problem here in the Cafe, and shortly after the person that uploaded the package was named, with contact info.

The one great thing about a community is that we are all here to help each other, and when bad things like malware show up, it doesn't remain hidden for long.

There isn't much we can do about zero-day exploits, but with the community, whether it is here, or Fedora, OpenSuse or any other other distributions, once the exploit is made known it isn't a problem any more, unlike with the other operating systems, where we have to wait for a solution to show up.

[coldcritter64]

....
I'm not sure what your history is with Ubuntu and the forums, but a few years back one of our members downloaded a theme package from http://gnome-look.org/, with in minutes, he posted the problem here in the Cafe, and shortly after the person that uploaded the package was named, with contact info. ...

IIRC wasn't that a malicious rm command tucked in a .deb installer script, with the theme being installed to the system?

I remember a very swift / interesting response on that thread. Anyone have a link to it ?
Cheers.

[Pjotr123]

@samiux: you're spreading FUD:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_u...inty_and_doubt

My opinion:
https://sites.google.com/site/easyli...oject/security

[samiux]

[offtopic]TOMBSTONEV2, good to see you here[/offtopic]



I agree, but, using Linux, we don't depend on huge corporations, to give us programs that can prevent or stop malware, our user-base is probably one of the best out there when it comes to detecting problems of any sort, whether it be bugs in software, or something that just doesn't seem right.

I'm not sure what your history is with Ubuntu and the forums, but a few years back one of our members downloaded a theme package from http://gnome-look.org/, with in minutes, he posted the problem here in the Cafe, and shortly after the person that uploaded the package was named, with contact info.

The one great thing about a community is that we are all here to help each other, and when bad things like malware show up, it doesn't remain hidden for long.

There isn't much we can do about zero-day exploits, but with the community, whether it is here, or Fedora, OpenSuse or any other other distributions, once the exploit is made known it isn't a problem any more, unlike with the other operating systems, where we have to wait for a solution to show up.

Not long ago, vsftpd source code had been compromised and it also mean that the server that hosts the source code had also been compromised. See the thread that saying this at here. Therefore, to insert some malicious code to a well known application is not a hard work, for example.

More distributions use the said compromised source code to compile their packages and spread them all to the users. As far as I know, not many servers will update/upgrade their packages due to some reasons.

It is ture that some applications will be examined by some security researchers, but not all, I think. At least there are some kernel exploits for Linux in the wild.

If the exploit (no matter it is 0day or not) is discovered by security researchers, that is fine. How about it is discovered by malicious hackers? They will not disclose it to the public and leave it as private or for their community use.

By the way, I am not a newcomers for Linux. I used it since 1997, I think if my memory is good. I come to know Ubuntu since 2006 and then registered to the forum. Since then, I have no problem in using it, I have seldom to post my question in the forums but HOWTO instead.

Samiux

[rrnbtter]

Greetings,
All I can say about this is that I started out three years ago knowing nothing about Linux. Have installed many different flavors before settling on Ubuntu and have invested zero seconds being concerned about virus's and malware. What ever is needed seems to be there. It is my understanding that "most" of the linux virus's that have existed were created in university labs just to prove that it could be done. They are not valid on current kernels and I haven't heard of a Linux virus post 2006. I'm usually wrong on most of this stuff buts thats the information I've found when the subject comes up. My suggestion is don't worry about it! There's some pretty smart people around these forums that I'm sure will advise when the time to be concerned arises. In the mean time its all free and open so if you want to create a virus just for the fun of it, download some source code and have at it! It is open source that makes Linux strong not antivirus programs.

[samiux]

@samiux: you're spreading FUD:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_u...inty_and_doubt

My opinion:
https://sites.google.com/site/easyli...oject/security

First of all, I am not agreed that I am spreading "Fear, uncertainty and doubt" to the Linux/Ubuntu community. Do you see my demo in this thread?

At least the communtiy must have to know that there is a threat out there. When I learn Linux, every one told me that Linux is very secure and no need to worry about the virus and attack. However, when I know more, I know that it is not true.

Samiux

[samiux]

Greetings,
All I can say about this is that I started out three years ago knowing nothing about Linux. Have installed many different flavors before settling on Ubuntu and have invested zero seconds being concerned about virus's and malware. What ever is needed seems to be there. It is my understanding that "most" of the linux virus's that have existed were created in university labs just to prove that it could be done. They are not valid on current kernels and I haven't heard of a Linux virus post 2006. I'm usually wrong on most of this stuff buts thats the information I've found when the subject comes up. My suggestion is don't worry about it! There's some pretty smart people around these forums that I'm sure will advise when the time to be concerned arises. In the mean time its all free and open so if you want to create a virus just for the fun of it, download some source code and have at it! It is open source that makes Linux strong not antivirus programs.

In my opinion, not known yet is not indicated that there is not existence. Some malicious hackers are very wise and clever. You can say that they are clever than us. Yes, they are clever than us (my opinion). They are very creative and will turn "impossible" to "I'm possible".

I am a Linux/Ubuntu user and supporter. I use Linux since 1997 (I think) and Ubuntu since 2006. I am not a newcomer to Linux. I remembered that when I learnt Linux, many Linux experts told me that Linux is very secure and no way to be attacked by anti-virus at least. I believed it and I found out that it is not true later. I go to Ubuntu forums and find out that many users (including Forums Admin/Staff) believed that Linux/Ubuntu is very secure and anti-virus is not required to install.

The security researchers make the virus (or malwares) in the lab successfully. That means not only security researchers are so clever to do this study. Malicious hackers are also very clever to make this study too.

Samiux

[gnuser12]

Hello Users,
the question is ...
can exist a completely save system at all
which is immue to all kind of viruses?
I think no and this applies on ubuntu as well

...

[vasa1]

@Samiux: you are repeatedly saying the same things. What do you want? And from whom do you want whatever it is you want?

[samiux]

Hello Users,
the question is ...
can exist a completely save system at all
which is immue to all kind of viruses?
I think no and this applies on ubuntu as well

...

In my opinion, yes, there is no very secure system in the world so far.

Samiux