Spilled the Beans
Hello forum, new old guy here. Installed ubuntu on a laptop given to me by my nephew last week and my question is with this operating system, do I need an antivirus, firewall, and spyware detectors like my old windows xp pro? If so, which are the recommended ones? When I was using xp pro I had zone alarm firewall, avast antivirus, and spybot s&d and spyware blaster. Can anyone help. Thank you. Geezer.
Banned
(1) generally no antivirus needed
(2) you have a firewall, it's integrated in the kernel, by default it just let's everything pass and generally that is good
(3) no spyware detecotrs needed
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Recommended it to fortify your browser with the noscript addon.
Have a read here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=765421
Ubuntu addict and loving it
You don't need any of those.
Your router is your best defence. Just make sure the ports that you don't need are closed in the router.
If you are sharing your linux computer with Windows folks, its probably a good idea to install an antivirus. Not that there are no linux viri in the wild. A linux antivirus can only scan and clean up windows viri so you don't accidently pass it on to windows.
If you are using only linux, you not need any antivirus. See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Antivirus
Way Too Much Ubuntu
Antivirus? you don't need it for Linux. But if you e-mail someone an Windows attachment, you can try clamAV (in the repository has the simple name of Virus Scanner. Firewall? If you really want more security than the one provided by default in the Linux kernel (and which is good enough for many webservers), you can try firestarter. Antispyware is no needed in any way on Linux, because there isn't spyware for Linux.
Last edited by Liviu-Theodor; September 10th, 2008 at 08:09 AM.
The Odor
I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending small a degree of it. -- Thomas Jefferson
Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.
Ubuntu addict and loving it
No need for that.If you want you can enable ufw.Maybe it is good idea to install rkhunter to check for rootkits.It is in synaptic.you can try firestarter
Ubuntu user since 2005
If there are no outward-facing services like Apache, SSH or FTP, then there is no danger of rootkits.Originally Posted by zvacet
Original poster: I have a link in my signature to "Linux Anti-virus" - it's actually an article that explains why Linux users don't get malware.
I try to treat the cause, not the symptom. I avoid the terminal in instructions, unless it's easier or necessary. My instructions will work within the Ubuntu system, instead of breaking or subverting it. Those are the three guarantees to the helpee.
Iced Blended Vanilla Crème Ubuntu
I find keeping my software up-to-date is all that is required.
And if you do not have a router or are not in control of it?Just make sure the ports that you don't need are closed in the router.
Brian.
Banned
Nothing to worry either... as long as you don't run any daemons there's nothing much to worry about.
Iced Blended Vanilla Crème Ubuntu
I'm aware of that. Its the idea of shifting firewall protection from the machine to the router which may be confusing to people.
I've never been the slightest bit worried about any of the services I've offered.. . . . as long as you don't run any daemons there's nothing much to worry about.
Brian.
Banned
if no services are running and if the services that are running are secure, what do you need a firewall for?
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