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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

There are Viruses, Trojans, Worms and Rootkits, that can infect a Linux OS

There are Viruses, Trojans, Worms and Rootkits, that can infect a Linux OS (Operating Systems) and I was hit by one once back when I was running Fedora 7 and that was a few years ago. So, needless to say, I think it would be very wise to Install and run a good Antivirus Program on your Linux OS. Especially on all Files you Download and your E-mails. It takes just a few minutes to Scan your home directory (the one with your personal System files and Apps). I Run Fedora and Debian (Not the Ubuntu Remix) with both the Gnome and KDE Desktops installed. because I like many Apps that need KDE to run. But I prefer Gnome for its layout, with your running apps at the bottom and app shortcuts and system menus at the top. I do all of my work in Gnome. I use ClamAV with the KlamAV GUI control App, because the KlamAV GUI is easier to use and has more features than the plain ClamAV GUI. The only draw back to ClamAV is that it is hard to setup the Automatic Scanning feature in Fedora. You have to manually install an app called 'dazuko' first. This module will allow KlamAV to gain real-time access to files. Dazuko has to run in the kernel and I haven't figured out how to install that one yet. See, ClamAV and it's GUI user interface KlamAV needs Dazuko to Run Auto Scans. I just ran a scan on my home directory with KlamAV GUI for ClamAV and this reminded me to mention. ClamAV will almost always report some suspected infected files. So, you will have to be an informed user and be familiar with the types of files on your computer. It reports encrypted heuristics.broken.executable files as viruses/problems found. Allot of windows "install.exe" files. For instance I have Comodo Anti Virus in my Downloads Directory which is a very good and rated number one Anti Virus by many Reviewers this year. It has some pieces of Viruses in it's directory's as samples, just as all Antivirus Apps do. This is nothing to worry about. So you can ignore this, as long as you know that you downloaded your "install.exe" file from a safe and reputable site. Not that Reputable sites can't get infected by some Hacker somewhere. I happens every day. You will have to use your own judgment when reading the results from a ClamAV Virus Scan. This will happen with allot of Linux System files too and I have found that these can safely be ignored too. Unless you have some reason to believe that your Linux OS has been infected, that is. Also, I learned this the hard way. Set ClamAV to "Just Report" when you do a scan of your System Files and don't run it with "root (admin) privileges". I broke a band new Fedora 12 System beyond repair by running ClamAV with "root privileges" and by setting it to automatically "Quarantine files" that are suspected to have a virus/problem!:O You wont be able to scan many files outside of your home directory in regular user mode. But that's really ok most of the time because you can scan your e-mail and all of your own personal files and downloads folders. If you suspect that you really have an infected Linux OS. Then it will Probably be easier to just Reformat your OS and restore your Personal Files and Favorite Apps from a Backup. You Do Backup Right? 7 Best Free/Open-source Backup Software for Linux | TechSource The thing is, No Internet (Network) Connected Computer or one that is accessible to Removable Media (CD's DVD's USB, Storage Media of any type) is impervious to Infection. I use to use Avast Antivirus in both Windows and Linux. But since Fedora 12, Avast gets errors and doesn't work right in Fedora 12 or 13 so far. It worked great in Fedora 7 to 11 though. As, the Viruses, Worms, Trojans and Rootkits begin to be able to infect more OS's. Linux users will have to have Real Time Virus Scanning or we will be in the same Boat as the Windows users, Infected, Spreading Viruses and not even knowing it!:O Here are some links to some info I have found on Viruses and Computer Security... 

New Kneber Botnet Tied To 75 000 Systems New Kneber Botnet Tied To 75,000 Systems. Doug Caverly Staff Writer 2010-02-18 Insider Reports RSS Feed This may turn into an unplug-your-computer-and-pay-for-everything-with-cash kind of day for some security experts. NetWitness announced this morning that it's discovered a new ZeuS botnet affecting 75,000 systems in 2,500 organizations. Social networks, financial systems, and government organizations are all thought to have been compromised. In a formal statement, NetWitness explained how it originally came across the problem, indicating that it "first discovered the Kneber botnet in January during a routine deployment of the NetWitness advanced monitoring solutions."

Probably the Best Free Security List in the World This is an update of the previous article from 10-09... Don

About ClamAV®Clam AntiVirus is an open source (GPL) anti-virus toolkit for UNIX, designed especially for e-mail scanning on mail gateways. It provides a number of utilities including a flexible and scalable multi-threaded daemon, a command line scanner and advanced tool for automatic database updates. The core of the package is an anti-virus engine available in a form of shared library.(Read more...)

About ClamWin Free Antivirus ClamWin is a Free Antivirus program for Microsoft Windows 7 / Vista / XP / Me / 2000 / 98 and Windows Server 2008 and 2003. ClamWin Free Antivirus is used by more than 600,000 users worldwide on a daily basis. It comes with an easy installer and open source code. You may download and use it absolutely free of charge. It features:
  • High detection rates for viruses and spyware;
  • Scanning Scheduler;
  • Automatic downloads of regularly updated Virus Database.
  • Standalone virus scanner and right-click menu integration to Microsoft Windows Explorer;
  • Addin to Microsoft Outlook to remove virus-infected attachments automatically.
Firewall & Antivirus Software Suite - Internet Security | Comodo Comodo Internet Security. I have tried this software out on a Win XP System and it is easy to use and has been rated tops in Security and Features by several On-line Reviewers... Don Complete protection against viruses and Internet attacks for Windows computers. Features: All-in-one Firewall & Antivirus, Defends your PC from Internet attacks, Detects and eliminates viruses, Prevents malware from being installed, Easy to install, configure and use, Free to both business and home users, Price: 100% Free, Free Download

Or Download Comodo System-Cleaner Download Comodo System-Cleaner. Download the Portable Version: Windows 7 / XP / Vista 32 bit (4.95 MB) Windows 7 / XP / Vista 64 bit (4.76 MB) Product Selection Wizard Find the Comodo product that best fits your needs or... http://www.comodo.com/home/download/download.php?prod=system-cleaner For operating systems: Windows 7 / XP / Vista / Win 2003 System Requirements: Windows 7 / XP / Vista / 2003 Server, 32 MB RAM, 20 MB Disk Space

Avast! AntiVirus For Both Window and Linux Home Edition I have used Avast for several years on both Windows and Linux OS's. It was my favorite Anti Virus Software. But now it does Not have all the features it use to in the Free Addition. Still, it is highly rated and very good Antivirus Software... Don

Setting up Avast Antivirus to Protect your Windows PC... Setting up Avast Antivirus to Protect your Windows PC... Don

Best Free Rootkit Scanner/Remover

M86 Security Finds URL Filters Anti Virus Scanners Ineffective

Jotti's malware scan There are times when a file may come up showing as infected with a Virus
in your Virus Scanner, but you may have a reason to think that it really
is not infected. This is called a False Positive.

VirSCAN.org - Free Multi-Engine Online Virus Scanner v1.02, Supports 37 AntiVirus Engines! Sometimes when you scan your computer for viruses, there can be a "false positive" reported on a file or files

The first Linux botnet? | ITworld The first Linux botnet?... In one word: "Nah."

Viruses now penetrating deeper | Tech News on ZDNet Well, with these new Viruses that get into your MBR (Master Boot Record). You probably wont even know when you get one.

PC Hell: Free RootKit Removal Tools and Software Rootkit Removal Tools and Help What are Rootkits?

Trinityhome : New TRK 3.4: easier than ever before New TRK 3.4 Free CD ISO Download: easier than ever before. Monday, August 16, 2010 Big news from the Trinity Rescue Kit camp: an all new version of the live distro has just been published after almost a year of (public) silence.

Free Agent: Linux Firewalls and Antivirus--Needed or Not? - PCWorld Free Agent: Linux Firewalls and Antivirus--Needed or Not? Linux has a reputation for being virus- and spyware-free, but you might want to add a little insurance.

Facebook Users Targeted By Fake Virus Alert Facebook Users Targeted By Fake Virus Alert. Mike Sachoff Staff Writer 2010-01-28 PandaLabs said today it has detected the massive spread of a fake virus alert that targets Facebook users. The company said it is another attempt by cybercriminals to infect users with fake antivirus programs. The fake warning is being distributed by email and users are forwarding it or publishing it on Facebook walls, further spreading the hoax. The text of the fake warning reads...

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Click | BBC team exposes cyber crime risk BBC team exposes cyber crime risk Spencer Kelly looks at how hackers use hijacked home PCs to send out millions of spam e-mails. Software used to control thousands of home computers has been acquired online by the BBC as part of an investigation into global cyber crime.

Conficker Worm Called An Epidemic Conficker Worm Called An Epidemic. Jason Lee Miller, Staff Writer, 2009-01-22. SecurityProNews: Insider Reports Insider Reports

Virus strikes 15 million PCs - UPI.com Virus strikes 15 million PCs. Published: Jan. 25, 2009 at 5:56 PM Order reprints  |  Feedback LONDON, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A virulent computer virus has infected more than 15 million computers around the world so far, British experts say. The Independent on Sunday reported that the worm -- known as Downadup, Conficker or Kido -- had contaminated 6 million PCs in the past three days alone. (This was in 2009, so who knows how many Computers are Infected Now!)... Don

Updated Conficker Ropes Victims into Rogue Antivirus Scam Updated Conficker Ropes Victims into Rogue Antivirus Scam. By Brian Prince 2009-04-09.

Computer virus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Computer virus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Jump to: navigation, search Not to be confused with Malware. A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself[1] and infect a computer. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability. A true virus can spread from one computer to another (in some form of executable code) when its host is taken to the target computer; for instance because a user sent it over a network or the Internet, or carried it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB drive. Viruses can increase their chances of spreading to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer. As stated above, the term "computer virus" is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase to include all types of malware, even those that do not have the reproductive ability. Malware includes computer viruses, computer worms, Trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware and other malicious and unwanted software, including true viruses. Viruses are sometimes confused with worms and Trojan horses, which are technically different. A worm can exploit security vulnerabilities to spread itself automatically to other computers through networks, while a Trojan horse is a program that appears harmless but hides malicious functions. Worms and Trojan horses, like viruses, may harm a computer system's data or performance. Some viruses and other malware have symptoms noticeable to the computer user, but many are surreptitious or simply do nothing to call attention to themselves. Some viruses do nothing beyond reproducing themselves.

Trojan horse (computing) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Beast, a Windows-based backdoor Trojan horse. A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is malware that appears to perform a desirable function for the user prior to run or install but instead facilitates unauthorized access of the user's computer system. "It is a harmful piece of software that looks legitimate. Users are typically tricked into loading and executing it on their systems", as Cisco describes.[1] The term is derived from the Trojan Horse story in Greek mythology.

Computer worm From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Morris Worm source code disk at the Computer History Museum. A computer worm is a self-replicating malware computer program. It uses a computer network to send copies of itself to other nodes (computers on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention. This is due to security shortcomings on the target computer. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms almost always cause at least some harm to the network, if only by consuming bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer.

Rootkit From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A rootkit is software that enables continued privileged access to a computer, while actively hiding its presence from administrators by subverting standard operating system functionality or other applications. Typically, an attacker installs a rootkit on a computer after first obtaining root-level access, either by exploiting a known vulnerability or cracking a password. Once a rootkit is installed, it allows an attacker to mask the active intrusion and to gain privileged access to a computer by circumventing normal authentication and authorization mechanisms. Although rootkits can serve a variety of ends, they have gained notoriety primarily as malware, appropriating computing resources or stealing passwords without the knowledge of administrators and users of affected systems. Rootkits can target firmware, a hypervisor, the kernel or, most commonly, user-mode applications. The term rootkit is a concatenation of the "root" user account in Unix operating systems and the word "kit", which refers to the software components that implement the tool. The term has negative connotations through its association with malware.

Here's the links from this Article and a few more....
Virus info Linux and Windows
A Tale of Two Computers « Linux Canuck's Weblog
Linux Today - Mass resignations from OpenOffice.org
Google Docs will soon have third party apps, cloud printing and sync
trinity - Google Search
DonsDeals: BBC NEWS | Programmes | Click | BBC team exposes cyber crime risk
DonsDeals: Updated Conficker Ropes Victims into Rogue Antivirus Scam
DonsDeals: Jotti's malware scan
DonsDeals: Free Agent: Linux Firewalls and Antivirus--Needed or Not? - PCWorld
DonsDeals: Immunet v2 update on the way: adds multi-engine malware and virus scanning to cloud-powered core
DonsDeals: The first Linux botnet? | ITworld
DonsDeals: PC Hell: Free RootKit Removal Tools and Software
DonsDeals: Trinityhome : New TRK 3.4: easier than ever before
DonsDeals: Conficker Worm Called An Epidemic
DonsDeals: Setting up Avast Antivirus to Protect your Windows PC...
DonsDeals: VirSCAN.org - Free Multi-Engine Online Virus Scanner v1.02, Supports 37 AntiVirus Engines!
DonsDeals: M86 Security Finds URL Filters Anti Virus Scanners Ineffective
DonsDeals: Probably the Best Free Security List in the World
DonsDeals: Re: Viruses now penetrating deeper | Tech News on ZDNet
DonsDeals: Avast! AntiVirus For Both Window and Linux Home Edition
DonsDeals: Best Free Rootkit Scanner/Remover
DonsDeals: New Kneber Botnet Tied To 75 000 Systems
DonsDeals: Facebook Users Targeted By Fake Virus Alert
Clam AntiVirus
avast! Linux Home Edition
avast! - Download Free Antivirus Software or Internet Security
ClamWin CD/USB - HowTo
Free Antivirus for Windows - Open source GPL virus scanner
WinPlanet Downloads for Windows Desktop Utilities
DonsDeals: Download Comodo System-Cleaner
DonsDeals: Firewall & Antivirus Software Suite - Internet Security | Comodo
DonsDeals: Free Desktop PC Security - Free Downloads Keep your PC Safe | Comodo
Trojans - Google Search
Trojan horse (computing) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
worms computer - Google Search
Computer worm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
rootkits computer - Google Search
How to Detect Rootkits on a Computer | eHow.com
Rootkit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
trojans computer - Google Search
Trojan - Trojans and Viruses in Computer Networking

Best Free open source Backup Software Search on DonsDeals Blog
DonsDeals: 7 Best Free/Open-source Backup Software for Linux | TechSource
Best Free open source Backup Software - Google Search
DonsDeals: Create WinPE based free backup software bootable CD to backup hard drive disk system partition, backup data and also for disaster recovery.
DonsDeals: Backup and Restore to Bare Metal with Easy Open Source GPL Redo Backup Solution
DonsDeals: Synbak - Universal Backup System | InitZero S.r.l. - IT Solutions
DonsDeals: Rescatux
DonsDeals: A Tale of Two Computers « Linux Canuck's Weblog
DonsDeals: Simple Linux Backup Software How to...
DonsDeals: Update 07-17-2010 to... Probably the Best Free Security List in the World
For more info on many things, Linux and Windows...  go to my Blog at http://donsdeals.blogspot.com/ and use the Big Search Window at the Top Middle to find what I have already found and put together on my Blog... Don

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