I hear over and over that Linux doesn't need antivirus software, but after using Windows since 95, I'm paranoid to say the least. I keep seeing Linux software lists that have AV software listed on this. Any reason why I should have it?
Linux is a prevalent OS which has a higher desktop userbase than Mac, not to mention servers. It is also the fastest growing OS in the world by far. As a result, all those antivirus companies are looking at that tasty piece of Linux pie with hungry eyes. Even AVG is jumping on the desktop Linux bandwagon, extending their AVG Free edition to Linux clients as well. From the horse's mouth: "Although Linux systems are among the most resistant to virus attacks, experts agree that all computer users should take precautionary measures by installing an antivirus program to address potential threats." In a world full of straw huts, where people go around throwing lit matches at you, Linux is a bit like a concrete bunker. This is much to the chagrin of the fire extinguisher salesmen, who wail, "It's only amount of time before you concrete bunker people start catching fire too! After all, straw huts are buildings, and bunkers are buildings too. And everybody knows that straw huts burn. Therefore since concrete bunkers are becoming more and more popular, like straw huts, people will start targeting them with match-throwing also! Bunkers will burn, oh yes, they will burn!" Sure it's not impossible that it'll burn down, but buying fire extinguishers is probably not going to be a good investment for you, even though the straw hut people should never, ever be without one. Of course if you're regularly trading with the straw hut people, it's not a bad idea to have a fire extinguisher for their sake. See my point? For certain purposes, an antivirus is indeed needed on Linux. A good example would be for a mail server which will be serving mail to Windows clients, or a Samba server which acts as a file server for Windows machines. In other words, the antivirus is there not to prevent infection on the Linux box, but to prevent Windows machines from spreading infection to eachother via the Linux server.
Yeah, pretty much. The only reason I've ever used an AV on a Linux box was on servers where Windows clients might potentialy pass viruses to eachother. Of course, if you still feel insecure without an AV, there's always AVG Free for Linux.
Wow, what a nice straw huts analogy. I like straw... I didn't need an AV, so I removed the installed ClamAV since I thought I wouldn't be setting up any shares for windows.
IYO, do you think there is a point if I am dual-booting and using my windows disks and partitions as storage for Linux?
You might run a passive AV in Linux (i.e. no realtime scan, saves on resources), scanning the Windows partitions from time to time.
I don't run Windows at all, but I do run some apps in Cedega, and each one gets their own fake Windows installation on my Linux system. I scan my Cedega directories with clamav every now and again, just to keep my Windows games protected.
