Security virus protection

GerardThomas

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Hello everyone I'm new to Linux and I'm wondering if someone could inform me as to why I don't need to have virus protection in Linux? I do use the internet for banking and such.
Thanks
 


You don't need it because you're going to be smart enough to not install dodgy software from dodgy sources and you're not going to let other people have your password to install software on your behalf.

Security isn't some application that may or may not have the right definitions to detect a piece of malware, security is a process of understanding risk and mitigating that with your behavior.

Does malware exist for Linux? Absolutely. Don't install it. If you don't know why your computer is asking you for a password (needed to install software), then don't type your password into the box. So long as you follow some pretty basic rules, you don't need additional protection.

Get your software from the official repositories. If it's not available in the repositories, make sure you go to the author's site and get the software directly from them. Don't install software you don't need. Don't just type your password because something asked for it - determine what's asking for it and why that something needs your password.
 
One piece of your OS that does need protection is your browser.
Your browser needs to be secure
Everyone's definition of a 'secure' browser will differ

I have used Linux without incident for the past 5 and a bit years

My browser is Firefox. I complement its natural security with various add ons

Add-Ons Firefox.png


The addons which contribute to Security are :
Adblock Plus
Facebook Container
HTTPS Everywhere
LastPassMalwarebytes Browser Guard
Add-Ons Firefox.png


The first line of defence is Linux itself...... Because Linux is less attractive to the money makers in the malware field. This may change to some extent as Linux becomes more popular. Nothing immediate,...linux has a long way to go

The second line is you. use the internet carelessly and you will reap the consequences. The majority of Linux users are careful enough.

The third is a secure browser. If there is ever going to be an incursion it will be via an unsecured/not up to date, browser. Some users will use add ons such as noscript. I regard this as overkill.
 
If I was a betting man, I would have bet that @KGIII and Brian @Condobloke would weigh in, and I was not disappointed, nor with their offerings.

G'day Gerard:)

...if someone could inform me as to why I don't need to have virus protection in Linux?

Linux is all about choices, choices you can't find so easily in other OSes.

It's your choice to go with AV, your choice to go without.

You can see from my signature that I go without, and after 7 years actively with Linux, including relying on it for banking several times a week, I have not had a single security issue.

I'm just going to reboot into a different Linux and come back to this, but first I will move this Thread to our Linux Security subforum, where it is better served to be. Input providers and readers will be notified.

c u soon.

Wiz
 
If you would feel better with AV on your Linux, then, basically for many Linux options to Windows &c, make Alternative To your friend.

https://alternativeto.net

If you Google or other search engine the phrase

alternative to McAfee

you will see their link high in the rankings, and clicking it will provide you many options. Be sure you pick the ones that say Linux, and also "Load More Apps" at the bottom.

With one of the Linux mainstays, Clam (loved by some, hated by others), Clam AV is the command line version, and Clam TK is the GUI (point and click) version.

If you go down that path, I would advocate the use of Timeshift, so that you can roll back if you don't like an AV solution.

Cheers

Wizard
 
If one wants a prophylactic for their browser, µMatrix is basically an old-school firewall except it only works for the browser. There's a learning curve, but it negates the need for myriad browser security plugins. It's from the same guy that does µBlock Origin. It's available for all the major browsers.
 
If one wants a prophylactic for their browser, µMatrix is basically an old-school firewall except it only works for the browser. There's a learning curve, but it negates the need for myriad browser security plugins. It's from the same guy that does µBlock Origin. It's available for all the major browsers.
I like uMatrix but I believe I read something yesterday alluding to development of uMatrix being halted.
I use NoScript and uBlock Origin. And a nice HOSTS file from MVPS HOSTS.
 
... development of uMatrix being halted.

That would seriously suck. Then again, it's fairly feature-complete. Just ensuring that it works with new versions of the browser(s) might be the entirety of labor needed. I don't have tons of time, but I'd possibly throw some time at helping to keep that updated. There's usually enough lead time with the dev browser versions, so it might not be too pressing.
 
That would seriously suck. Then again, it's fairly feature-complete. Just ensuring that it works with new versions of the browser(s) might be the entirety of labor needed. I don't have tons of time, but I'd possibly throw some time at helping to keep that updated. There's usually enough lead time with the dev browser versions, so it might not be too pressing.
 
Linux is meant to be enjoyed......not to become a burden to you.

Keep it simple.
 
Thanks. I'm gonna fork it and take a look at the code this weekend. It seems pretty straightforward.
 
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Where Brian @Condobloke and I came from nearly 3.5 years ago, a couple of fellows there used to use a Live CD/DVD to do their banking.

If it was a CD, you could put Puppy Linux on it, or a DVD, most any Linux of your choice other than openSUSE which does not provide for a Live scenario. Being read-only, nobody or nothing could write any nasties to it, and any data and passwords you entered into it while in session would vanish when you ejected or rebooted.

Again, not something I would use myself, but something you might consider.

Wizard
 
Yah know there is one distro that gets forgotten thats older than Puppy that does the same job Knoppix
 
If it was a CD, you could put Puppy Linux on it, or a DVD, most any Linux of your choice other than openSUSE which does not provide for a Live scenario. Being read-only, nobody or nothing could write any nasties to it, and any data and passwords you entered into it while in session would vanish when you ejected or rebooted.

A long time ago (in a galaxy far away) we ran the OS off of DVD's. The only partitions on the hard drive were /etc /var and /home. That way we could change IP addresses, log errors, and upload things to our home directories, but nothing else could be changed. The libs, binaries and kernels were "locked" on the DVD. Some OS's have "immutable" releases, Fedora has something called silverblue.
You can add packages like mysql, postgres, apache/httpd, php, etc... but you can never update the OS.
It can't be patched or updated. The down side is... when a new security fix comes out, you can't update it. The up side is... you probably don't care, because no one can change your core OS, only your applications. (The applications can be updated and patched).
 
Yah know there is one distro that gets forgotten thats older than Puppy that does the same job Knoppix

Way back in ye olden days, that was one of the first distros I tried. I also had a copy of RedHat that I used for a bit, but I settled on Mandrake (Mandriva to the younger folks) as my hobby OS. I had no choice but to use Windows as my main OS.
 

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