Virus protection tools for the Linux environment

VIRUS CHECKERS

Article from Issue 62/2006
Author(s):

So you want a virus checker? We’ll show you what we found when we toured some of the top scanners for the Linux environment.

Since the famous Bliss virus in early 1997, the media has been relatively quiet on the topic of Linux viruses. However, depending on your source, there are anywhere from a few dozen to over 400 viruses, Trojans, and other kinds of malware that infect Unix and Linux. Compared to the tens of thousands of viruses, worms, and other infections that afflict Windows, this number is certainly small, and the chances are much lower that you will be directly affected (or infected) by a Linux virus. But as you learned in the preceding article, virus checking in Linux is still important. Getting a Scanner If you are using Linux as a file or email server in your company, you definitely need to consider installing an appropriate virus scanner. In my case, the dozen or so viruses I get each week, is a motivator to take an active approach in fighting viruses.

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