Does a Linux user need antivirus software?

[Tasgandy]

Do Linux users need antivirus software?

 

Not the first time I have seen this question asked, and I think we all know the answer........or do we.

 

Those interested in this subject and have 5 minutes to spare please go to Linux & Antivirus apps

 

If you insert your thumb drive regularly into Windows computers, for example, it might be infected, meaning you?re spreading malware with it and not even knowing it. Antivirus software for Linux gives you a quick way to check your drives without any risk of infecting yet another Windows machine.

[Nergal]

Clamwin works great for linux boxes.

 

All computers in my opinion should have some sort of AV as Virus writers have moved off of doing it for fun and more on doing it for profit, as well as the fact that MACs and Linuxes are becoming more widespread which makes it a bigger target than previous.

[Andavari]

Along with Nergal I'd also state that a good antivirus is needed. You can check antivirus software websites since some offer their Linux version for free.

[Ishi]

We do. You might have malware sitting somewhere in your Linux filsystem but when they get to somewhere that both Linux and Windows can access (on a multi-boot machine), your Windows can get infected.

 

I managed to install AVG 8.5 on my Linux but its not detecting all the malware. But its fair enough for the first line of defense. It doesn't even have a GUI so its command driven, actually.

[Aethec]

Linux will stay safe as long as the percentage of unpatched Windows is greater than the percentage of PCs on Linux.