Linux home security?

s10237 · #1 26th February 2005, 06:02 PM

Since I have been using linux I no longer use a firewall nor antivirus. Is there any reason to use an antivirus on linux? Anybody have any firewall suggestions?

krisnalada · #2 26th February 2005, 06:13 PM

If you want to clean a windows infected pc, you should use an antivirus but if not you don't need one so far ^_^.
The one integrated in fedora is quiet good, have a try.

raghavendra · #3 26th February 2005, 06:13 PM

Hi
I suggest you go to this
http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=44256
You may get some idea..............................

tiberiu · #4 26th February 2005, 06:30 PM

Anti-viruses are for windows viruses not for linux (there are a few linux viruses as I have read in some magazines about them). In this case you may use Bit Defender (www.bitdefender.com).

As firewall, you may use firestarter as a front-end for iptables. I use it and believe me it helps a lot especcially if you are new to linux and if you have a broad band conection.

xathras · #5 28th February 2005, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s10237

Since I have been using linux I no longer use a firewall nor antivirus. Is there any reason to use an antivirus on linux? Anybody have any firewall suggestions?

That is a very dangerous way to look at it, just because you are using linux doesn't mean your secure.

While over 70% of attacks happen internally you have to look at the other 30%, these happen due to bad configuration of firewalls, routers, installation of unnecessary services or software applications, unnecessary users etc.

At my place of work we have very strick guidelines on building PCs or servers, we firstly identify its use and what is necessary i.e. the software, we then block all unnnecessary traffic either by a "host-based" firewall or TCP/IP filtering (Windows), we strip all user accounts that are unnecessary and disable accounts we want to log such as guest, we never allow "direct root" login and have very strick policies on when a admin account is used.

There are plenty of firewall products out there look at firewall builder as you can start from scratch, and look at utilities such as ClamAV for Antivirus software