trojans and Ubuntu

[Bart Silverstrim]

Bernard Peek wrote:
> Gerald Dachs wrote:
>>> What else would you suggest in place of virus scanning for detection?
>>> Or is there anything else better?  I work for a university technical
>>> support department, and I'd like to know so I can offer better advice
>>> to the Windows users we support.
>>>     
>> Use Linux! If you need Windows for gambling then don't connect it to
>> the Internet. If you have to use Windows for other reasons, live
>> with the risk.
>>
>>   
> Switching to Linux isn't an available option for lots of people, so they 
> need help from Windows experts. A Linux support mailing list isn't the 
> best place to look for one.

Asking from this kind of lists gives:
A) advice: switch away from Windows
B) often: experiences from people burned by using Windows to move away 
or isolate Windows
C) often: advice on grudging tools to try and fix Windows, with the 
caveat that with Windows there are so many diseases and exploits out 
there that the situation is damn near hopeless that you'll fully protect 
or disentangle the Windows system from an infection of some kind, and 
you're never guaranteed that the system is actually uninfected since 
every anti-malware system out there misses some percentage of exploits 
in the wild while at the same time not playing well with other vendor's 
tools, and in some cases their scanners *become* a problem in the process.

As for the "not an option", it is usually possible.  Even if you have to 
run Windows in isolation in a VM for state-machine backup on top of a 
more solid OS.  If it's a lifeline must-keep-running issue, you make the 
learning curve a priority or the whole must-keep-running thing is 
nothing but lip service.  You're betting your business on a very shaky 
scaffold otherwise.