Linux is far from being free of malware??!!

[Israel]

I'd have to say that Linux isn't free from malware, I have read numerous 
articles about the existence of viruses for Linux.  Linux has a HUGE 
market share in the server/web arena, so malicious hackers want to break 
in.  The problem with Linux viruses and malware, is that they can't 
really do any damage to your system.  If I want to download a virus, and 
mark it as executable and click it, I have infected my own computer on 
purpose.  If I accidentally download a virus, and do not mark it 
executable, and do not click on it nothing happens. This is why PPA and 
standalone deb files are not encouraged, as you don't know it is safe.  
It could contain malicious code.... however in order to do something 
major the malicious code needs superuser access.  So you will be 
prompted "Do you want to allow this program to rm -Rf " (i didn't put 
the rest of the maliciousness there, because it isn't nice to post that 
stuff anywhere)
you can enter your password and allow the program to modify your system 
into oblivion.
In Windows (though 7++ is better than it used to be) a program is 
automatically granted superuser authority and can do anything it wants 
(MOL).
The best way to protect your system is in how you interact with the 
internet.  And install all security updates (especially Java, IMO)
You can clear your cookies, clear your cache, limit JavaScript, click to 
play flash, etc...
Win XP will be fine to use, if the user doesn't get on the internet or 
install things from a flash drive.
And BTW Nio is right on.  You could also simply have a XP VM, and clone 
it, and delete one if it gets horrible.  Have a samba folder on your 
machine, and run clamAV on that folder overnight (man cron for more 
details on how to do this)
This way you can keep your current work, keep a running XP environment 
and be on a vastly more secure OS.
Mac OS is BSD, so it is very similar to Linux, and has a lot of GNU 
tools installed.  It has the same sort of security measures in place as 
all UNIX-like OS do.

On a side note... I wonder how vulnerable ReactOS is to windows viruses?


On 01/04/2014 12:34 PM, Nio Wiklund wrote:
> 2014-01-04 18:44, Aere Greenway skrev:
>> On 01/04/2014 05:12 AM, Ali Linx (amjjawad) wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2197530
>>>
>>> What do you think? :)
>>>
>>> Thank you!
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Remember: "All of us are smarter than any one of us."
>>> Best Regards,
>>> amjjawad <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/amjjawad>
>>> Areas of Involvement <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/amjjawad/AreasOfInvolvement>
>>> My Projects <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/amjjawad/Projects>
>>>
>>>
>> Ali, and All (hmm... the two names look very similar:
>>
>>
>> Not having technical insight into the area, all I can respond to this
>> with, is my experience.
> ...
>
>> Anyway, that is my experience, and my future plans.  If any of you have
>> information that might show my future plans to be risky, please
>> enlighten me (and others) of it.
>>
>> -- 
>> Sincerely,
>> Aere
> Hi Aere,
>
> Thank you for the nice poem earlier and for today's detailed report
> about your experience of security in linux and Windows! I will add only
> one comment and one link:
>
>> I worry that if I ever had to re-install one of my Windows XP systems
>> (after April 2014) if I would be able to 'activate' the re-installed
>> system.
> I suggest that you backup your Windows systems by cloning (or making
> compressed images) with Clonezilla. That way you will be able to restore
> them without reinstalling, so there is no need for communication with
> Microsoft, and you can keep them as long as the computers live.
>
> Finally, here is the link to an Ubuntu wiki page about security
>
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BasicSecurity
>
> Best regards
> Nio
>


-- 
Regards