AVG for Linux Available

***bob*** · #1 10th January 2006, 03:40 AM

The best-known of the free Windows anti-virus scanners has been released here: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/20/lng/us/tpl/v5
I downloaded and installed the 'rh' .rpm version without a glitch and had it running as a gui under Accessories.
Can't say if it's as accurate as 'clam-av', but the gui is a nice feature. Oh, and you'll be happy to know that I am certified virus-free.

pparks1 · #2 10th January 2006, 03:57 AM

Thanks for the link. I use AVG on my Windows boxes and look forward to setting up the linux version and checking it out. Used clam as well in the past for Linux machines.

jhetrick62 · #3 10th January 2006, 04:09 AM

I have been using Antivir and been very happy on Windows. I haven't yet attempted to run any virus scanner on Linux. Maybe foolish, but I haven't seen the need yet.

packy · #4 10th January 2006, 04:16 AM

Now we just need to charm this baby into a repoisitory, all security measures released on Linux should be dealt with the same way: praise it.

PeTzZz · #5 10th January 2006, 05:23 AM

Grisoft advertises it as free antivirus for home user for Linux, but I don't see that there were other than Red Hat, Suse and Mandrake versions available.

As a Fedora user I am happy of course. One more choice.

imdeemvp · #6 10th January 2006, 06:50 AM

I really dont see the need for it, but it nice to know windoz is encountering serious competition OS wise.

***bob*** · #7 10th January 2006, 12:19 PM

Hmmm... all is not well in AVG land! I've had a couple of glitches so far:

1). The Updater does not work (for me) as user and trying to run update from commandline as root failed.
Edit: If you log out and then sign in as root, the gui updater will work.

2). To use the mail scanner, you have to install a separate program - Dazuko and do a minor gedit on the 'configure' file. That's fine, but afterwards the './configure' command ends with:
error: capabilities are built-in to the kernel:
you will need to recompile a kernel with capabilities
as a kernel module
So, I'd have to do a custom kernel for this? Recompile every kernel from now until ? Hmmm... maybe this isn't yet ready for prime time!

Suggestions? (other than use 'clam-av' which just works!)

GarySaved · #8 10th January 2006, 02:30 PM

I am not seeing the need for antivirus in Linux.
I have been using it for quite a while, and never caught anything.
I do run rkhunter as a cron job, but it has never found anything.

One of the things I have always liked about Linux is that I do not need that sort of thing.
Are we going to scare some people away, if it looks like Linux has the same problems Windows has?

Gary

tw56 · #9 10th January 2006, 02:55 PM

Dazuko built into fedora package would be nice. Would give the ability for on access scanning with clamav or AVG. I sure don't want to have to recompile kernels to have it though. May be needed in the future if not now.

***bob*** · #10 10th January 2006, 03:03 PM

I would hope that we'd be less likely to have problems since we're probably more familiar with our systems than the average Windows user, plus most of us are operating as 'users', not in 'root', so access to our systems would be limited at best. Then too, since there are far fewer linux users it wouldn't create the thrill for a cracker to mess with a virus exploit for us. Of course, there's all those servers out there.....

So, can there be viruses - yes. Have there been viruses - yes. Were they common or problematic - not really. Can we pass along infected files to our Windows friends and relatives by not scanning stuff l(ike the cute happygram that contains an executable) - yes. Am I getting ticked at a program that slows down my boot time and won't directly scan my emails where the majority of problems could occur? - HELL YES!

pparks1 · #11 10th January 2006, 03:20 PM

I've never really had a problem either with a virus on Linux, however to simply ignore the potential seems like a bad idea to me. Clam-AV just runs and is easy to set up.

Technically these systems are more secure by default, the users tend to be more technical and most of us do not run as root. The likelyhood today is minimal, but still exists.

Personally, I like to harden my boxes as much as possible. For me, this typically includes some sort of AV just to be sure. I would rather never have to tell any of my Windows buddies that something bad happened to my Linux machine. Right now, my track record is pretty flawless.

PeTzZz · #12 10th January 2006, 03:28 PM

You will not begin to worry about viruses till you get one that eats your computer.

Viruses exist. Just wait till they find you ... or maybe you find them yourself ...

tw56 · #13 10th January 2006, 03:39 PM

A good rewrite of the howto article from fedora 3 for changes for fedora 4 would be nice. As a new linux user setting up fedora 4 it was not easy to get all the steps done in two I used.
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=53204
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=46540
But I did manage to get them working and it was quite a leaning experience. Using amavisd, clam server, dovecot, spammassasin, work well for scanning email etc.

Red Knuckles · #14 19th April 2006, 10:39 PM

When I try to install AVG I get the following:

[root@xx-xxx-xxx-xx ben]# rpm -ihv avglinux-7.1-24_free_rh_avi0720.i386.rpm
Preparing... ########################################### [100%]
error: %pre(avglinux-7.1-24_free_rh_avi0720.i386) scriptlet failed, exit status 12
error: install: %pre scriptlet failed (2), skipping avglinux-7.1-24_free_rh_avi0720

I have no clue what these errors mean or what to do?

***bob*** · #15 19th April 2006, 11:18 PM

Since you're posting this problem on another, similar thread I'll close this one - please don't double-post, it's confusing and you'll people will be giving information in two directions.