Question:
Is Linux free from viruses and Trojans?
2009-04-19 18:07:32 UTC
I heard that viruses and Trojans won't affect Linux Os. Is it true since, .EXE files will not run in linux versions like Ubuntu?
Will any other kind of viruses from internet affect the Ubuntu?
My friend told me that there is no need for any antivirus software for Linux Os like Ubuntu. Is it true? Please give details.....
Seven answers:
Linux Mint 11
2009-04-24 09:41:42 UTC
Taken from WHY LINUX IS BETTER http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/



If your computer shuts itself down without asking you, if strange windows with text you don't understand and all kinds of advertisements appear when you don't ask for them, if emails get sent to all your contacts without your knowing it, then your computer probably has a virus. The main reason for this is because it runs Windows.



Linux hardly has any viruses. And that's not like "Oh well, not very often, you know". That's like "If you've ever heard of a real Linux virus, please tell me". Of course, a Linux virus is not impossible to get. However, Linux makes it very hard for this to happen, for several reasons:



1) Most people use Microsoft Windows, and pirates want to do as much damage (or control) as possible: therefore, they target Windows. But that's not the only reason; the Apache web server (a web server is a program located on a remote computer that sends web pages to your browser when you ask for them), which is open source software, has the biggest market share (against Microsoft's IIS server), but it still suffers from much fewer attacks/flaws than the Microsoft one.



2) Linux uses smart authorization management. In Windows you (and any program you install) usually have the right to do pretty much anything to the system. If you feel like punishing your PC because it just let your precious work disappear, you can go inside the system folder and delete whatever you want: Windows won't complain. Of course, the next time you reboot, trouble begins. But imagine that if you can delete this system stuff, other programs can, too, or just mess it up. Linux doesn't allow that. Every time you request to do something that has to do with the system, an administrator password is required (and if you're not an administrator on this system, you simply can't do it). Viruses can't just go around and delete or modify what they want in the system; they don't have the authorization for that.



3) More eyes make fewer security flaws. Linux is Open source software, which means that any programmer in the world can have a look at the code (the "recipe" of any program), and help out, or just tell other developers "Hey, what if blah blah, isn't this a security flaw?".





LUg.
2009-04-19 18:12:31 UTC
Well, that is mostly true. The majority, if not all, of computer viruses and trojans are designed to target Windows users, by taking advantage of flaws in the operating system or just working within the system. They are designed to work based on how the OS operates, and therefore using an OS like Linux means trojans and viruses will not function properly - meaning you are much safer on Linux than Windows.
Jessica Queller
2009-04-19 18:37:36 UTC
Viruses do not affect Linux.

.exe files will not run in Linux except if you use Wine.

Antivirus is useless as protection.



But Linux is not invincible, and trojans can (but don't currently) still thrive in Linux, because trojans rely on social engineering (tricking the user) instead of exploiting security holes in the operating system.



Read more here:

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntucat/does-ubuntu-need-antivirus/
2009-04-19 18:14:03 UTC
Linux effectively has no viruses (I think there is one documented one, but you would have to be running a large sever installment to be worried). Even if you somehow got a Linux virus, it could not do any serioust damage because of the way it is designed. You *can* run .exe files too, using a compatibility layer called WINE, but it has to be done manually and can't harm anything.
2009-04-19 18:14:01 UTC
There are Viruses and worms for Linux. If you use it properly, only logging on as a normal user, and only changing to the root (superuser) account to do small admin jobs nothing can get in. You do not need anti-virus, but should consider running one in case you ever need to forward an email or attachment to a Windows user, you might otherwise pass a virus on without knowing. AVG free has a Linux version.
2009-04-19 18:15:08 UTC
thats not true trojans can hide in any file like music for example. it doesnt matter what OS you have. You still can get viruses
?
2016-05-27 08:10:44 UTC
It is possible to have virus attack on Linux operating system but it is more secured than the windows operating system.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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