AVG antivirus update in Kubuntu

[Graham]

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On 2 May 2007, at 16:25, WJ Seidl wrote:

> Thanks to all who responded to my problem.  I managed
> to get the update by opening a terminal window and using the sudo
> avgupdate -o command
> as suggested.  It still doesn't work in the GUI, but once I know (a  
> lot)
> more about Linux, I will
> work on that little issue.
[snipped]

I'm sorry if I came here in the middle of a thread, but why use AVG?

Linux has a perfectly good antivirus suite in ClamAv, with a KDE  
front end called KlamAV.  They're in the repositories.  ClamAV is  
robust and effective, and is available also for Windows (ClamWin) and  
the Mac OS X (ClamXav), which means you can run it crossplatform,  
each having its own distinctive GUI.  Furthermore, its free software  
and open source (I don't know if this applies also to AVG).

Linux has very few viruses because the architecture of the OS  
confines them.  Its only really necessary to have a strong antivirus  
program to stop Windows viruses flourishing if they're passed on in  
files.  As for email, KMail and Claws-Mail work very effectively with  
it, and if you run the daemon it will also work with other programs  
"behind the scenes as it were.

A much more serious problem for Linux users are rootkits.  These  
programs are described by the Wikipedia thus:

> A rootkit is a set of software tools intended to conceal running  
> processes, files or system data from the operating system. Rootkits  
> have their origin in relatively benign applications, but in recent  
> years have been used increasingly by malware to help intruders  
> maintain access to systems while avoiding detection. Rootkits exist  
> for a variety of operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows,  
> Linux and Solaris. Rootkits often modify parts of the operating  
> system or install themselves as drivers or kernel modules.

Fortunately we also have two strong defences in chkrootkit and  
rootkit hunter, for instance.  There is also a piece discussing  
rootkits at:

http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/127202/

For details about the software quoted, look at:

ClamAV:	http://www.clamav.net/

KlamAV:	http://klamav.sourceforge.net/klamavwiki/index.php/Main_Page

chkrootkit:	http://www.chkrootkit.org/

rootkit hunter:	http://www.rootkit.nl/projects/rootkit_hunter.html

HTH


Graham



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