Member Avatar for veledrom

Hi,

I have just installed Ubuntu 8. Do i need to install any AntiVirus for it? Or is there any such thing?

Thanks

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Short answer for : a full-time Windows-style antivirus is not usually required on a normal Ubuntu desktop, but it is sensible to scan email attachments or files you share with Windows users. is right that Linux desktops see far less Windows-targeted malware, and is also correct that scanning attachments is a practical precaution.

ClamAV is the common choice on Ubuntu. It is an on-demand scanner (and offers a daemon) — it does not automatically hook into a GUI mail client to scan attachments as you open them. Typical desktop workflows are either manual scans before opening attachments (use a GUI like ClamTk) or server-side scanning for mail handled by your MTA. To get started quickly:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install clamav clamav-daemon clamtk
sudo systemctl stop clamav-freshclam
sudo freshclam
sudo systemctl start clamav-freshclam

# example: scan your Downloads folder
clamscan -r --bell -i ~/Downloads

If you run a mail server, integrate ClamAV with a mail-filtering layer such as amavisd-new so incoming/outgoing mail is scanned automatically. For a desktop that needs real-time/on-access scanning you can run the clamd daemon and add a small inotify/fanotify watcher or use third-party on-access wrappers, but those are extra components and require care to avoid performance issues.

Keep virus signatures current with freshclam, scan archives and attachments before opening, and combine this with normal Linux hardening (regular updates, limited use of root, careful handling of unknown executables). Official references: ClamAV documentation and amavisd-new.

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Member Avatar for AdarshN

Usually, you wouldn't require an Antivirus for Linux, as most of malware target Microsoft Windows.

Click here to learn how to install ClamAV (one of the most popular AV's for Linux.

Member Avatar for Vesperto

Usually, you wouldn't require an Antivirus for Linux, as most of malware target Microsoft Windows.

However if you use email you can at least use an antivirus to scan attachments, which often come from and go to windows machines. Plus, Linux is not invulnerable.

Click here to learn how to install ClamAV (one of the most popular AV's for Linux.

I'll second that.

Member Avatar for veledrom

I have read about it but, is ClamAV automatically scan emails when i open them? Or, i should run it manually for all purposes?

Thanks

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