Is Linux virus free or there are no viruses made for it?

Question

Could be when operating systems like Ubuntu will be popular they make viruses for linux also, and if its virus proof then why is it so and why msdos isnt ?

Answer 1

good answer by murcuri,



apart from one thing, this



> Finally, because Linux has such a small market share, virus writers don't even bother to target it <



it has nothing to do with the market share,



most web servers run a version of linux, not windows - why are these not targeted?



virtually all linux software is installed via the respective repositories through the software manager,

to do this you need to be root,

all software is checked and you need to add your root password,

as the software is checked then no malware can get through,

even if it did then you would have to install it,



this article, from 2000, is what most people think



http://simson.net/clips/2000/2000.SecurityFocus.Linux_Viruses.html



the linux virus plague never happened - not even a flies worth,

it was a money making ploy for the anti-virus companies



this is a must read for anyone who thinks that there is no virus for linux because there is only a small percentage of users,



http://linuxmafia.com/~rick/faq/index.php?page=virus



(people write virus's for windows because its easy and most users use the admin account instead of a limited user account)

Answer 2

There are viruses for Linux, BSD, Soloris, UNIX, &c., though they are rare. There are about 40 Viruses (and I use the term loosely) out in the wild [for Linux] and about 690-700 virus in University labs for Education Purposes.



Even if Linux did become a Primary OS within the Desktop Market, there still wouldn't be as many viruses. The reason, writing a virus for Linux is very complex, there are so many things that need to be taken into consideration, such as., Will it be source, deb, RPM, Et cetera? RPM's do not work on Debian and Slackware based systems and Debs don't work on Fedora and Slackware based systems. Source files can easily be check by the person wanting to install the program (this goes for debs and RPM's also). What filesystem is it designed for? ext2/3/4, btrfs, ceph, Reiser FS, &c. What Architecture is it designed for? x86, PPC, alpha, arm, i386, i486, i586, i686, &c. (There was a controversy concerning Linux with a reappearing security hole, what was fail to mention was that it only affected the x86 Arch). Also most just install software from the repository.



Sometimes a virus is written for a particular audience and computer type, but do to hardware differences, it won't work. For instance if you and I have the same computer brand, same OS, but I installed some new hardware. If we both download the same virus it may take down your computer but does little to nothing to mine. This has happened in the past (back in the 90's).



In other words, a Linux virus wouldn't get very far as most users are programmers. There may be a few who get hit, but it would be squashed relatively quickly.

Answer 3

Is Linux virus free? - Yes

Are there no viruses made for it? - Yes



Linux has a very different way of treating a program. Unlike windows, you need a ROOT access to modify or install or delete any program in Linux. Without root access you're just an normal user. Distros like Ubuntu disable the ROOT account by default. So if you want to install or modify any programs in Ubuntu You need a root access to do that. That's why to modify any system level thing you have to provide the root password, other wise you cannot do that. Viruses modify alot of system data in windows. But if they want to do the same thing in ubuntu, then they need the password to do that. As they can't provide any password by themselves it is quite impossible to attack a linux system. That's another reason why there is almost no virus in Linux.

Answer 4

Linux is very different in how it treats security. To install something, you need root level access, which isn't very easy to come by. Also, installing things on Linux has to be very deliberate. Also, because Linux is open source, when a vulnerability is found, it can quickly and easily be patched. Finally, because Linux has such a small market share, virus writers don't even bother to target it.



All this combines to make an experience that's pretty must virus-free.

Answer 5

Linux is more vulnerable to worms and rootkits. For those of us old enough to remember the late 1980s and 1990s, Unix worms were all the rage before Windows took off. These days, most virus writers target Windows because of the sheer volume of Windows machines combined with the overall incompetence of the average Windows PC owner.

Answer 6

it is going to likely be chance-free- no favor to pressure. in case you purchase a mag with a Linux disk in it- it is going to likely be reliable. Thats the way i began- with Ubuntu. i propose Ubuntu and Mint as a first selection. There are various different reliable Linux variations, when you get used to it- save round. maximum accepted Linux version will run from the cd or stay mode- it gained't change some thing or damage some thing on your workstation. it is going to likely be slower even with the truth that on the cd. in case you want it and decide to position in it- then it is going to likely be swifter.

Answer 7

Linux and Viruses

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/items/viruses/index.php?lang=



Linux and Security

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/items/security/index.php?lang=



Having read the information above this does not mean Linux is immune

http://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/284124-myth-busting-is-linux-immune-to-viruses





LUg.

Answer 8

generally virus&malware free but not fully,anti viruses r available for linux