[ubuntu-uk] Thinking about switching to linux

[Alan Pope]

On Mon, Mar 05, 2007 at 12:45:41PM +0000, Wulfy wrote:
> Roberto Sarrionandia wrote:
> > On Sunday 04 March 2007 21:53:17 Benjamin Webb wrote:
> >   
> >> So, I've got a hardware firewall in my router, so I shouldn't need a
> >> software one.
> >>
> >> What about anti-virus software though? Is there any software that
> >> scans for Linux viruses, or do they all just check for windows ones?
> >>
> >> I'll make sure I use a different password for my Ubuntu install (I'm
> >> terrible for using the same password all the time at the moment).
> >>
> >> Thanks for all your help.
> >> Ben Webb
> >>     
> >
> > There are no real Linux viruses. The Linux antiviruses scan for Windows 
> > viruses.
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_computer_viruses>
> 
> Admittedly, 14 compared to hundreds or thousands is *almost* zero...  :@)
> 

Ok, taking two of those totally at random. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L10n_worm - "The L10n worm (usually pronounced "lion") was a Linux worm that spread 
in 2001 by exploiting a buffer overflow in the BIND DNS server.". 

Ubuntu desktops don't run BIND by default, most people wouldn't even install it, and it's been fixed anyway!

http://www.viruslist.com/en/viruses/encyclopedia?virusid=23864 - "Mighty" is an Internet worm that infects Linux 
machines running the popular "Apache" web server software. It does that by exploiting a vulnerability in the 
"Secure Sockets Layer" SSL "mod_ssl" interface code of the server which was originally reported on July 30, 
2002, and listed by the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) as the Vulnerability Note VU#102795.

Ubuntu desktops don't ship with apache with openssl older than 0.9.7d.

Whilst it is of course possible for newer viruses to come along, to cite those 14 as current might be somewhat 
misleading.

Cheers,
Al.