I know that there have been around 40 viruses for the linux platform, but for each distro? there must only be like 2 or 3 for ubuntu, mabye none, can anyone give me the names of them? or if they exist?
what are the viruses for ubuntu?
Archived thread 1038545 from Recurring Discussions. Markdown source: Recurring_Discussions/thread_1038545_what_are_the_viruses_for_ubuntu.md
Since I had never been infected with viruses or with other variants on the time being since using Ubuntu, I can only say that some exist in the wild but are now dormant or rather 'dead' since it can't find a way to propagate on the hostile environment of Linux.
That's what I was thinking, just curious. Thanks. the wikipedia viruses aren't specified by distro, and therefore do not help me much though. But most viruses are for servers, and that doesn't concern me in the least. Still leaving the thread open for aditional info though.
you got me interested so i did a quick search and just found this a second ago, im watching it now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XH5gmKCeKI
and it looks like there's some other onez in the related vids.
:D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a36K1NGkaRU ----- this is funny.. what a shmoe. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080229124610AAYZZgU
The only virus that effects Linux and is found in the wild.
Bliss has been called a virus for Linux, a common Unix trojan, a virus-like trojan with worm-like features etc, depending on whom you ask. Apparently, the definitions aren't very clear. Here's its story.
Three years of running Linux, once in a while my Windows past makes me scan Linux with rkhunter and chkrootkit and guess what, absolutely nothing so I guess I don't have to worry about any infection. rkhunter is quite thorough as it combines with unhide which bypasses regular tcp protocols to check outgoing stuff via the other protocols.
Dustin2128 said: I know that there have been around 40 viruses for the linux platform, but for each distro? there must only be like 2 or 3 for ubuntu, mabye none, can anyone give me the names of them? or if they exist?
"I know"? Really! Why don't you educate me, because I have NEVER seen a VIABLE linux virus even described. I have only used about a dozen different distros over a ten year period, though. I await your enlightenment.
Three years of running Linux, once in a while my Windows past makes me scan Linux with rkhunter and chkrootkit and guess what, absolutely nothing so I guess I don't have to worry about any infection. rkhunter is quite thorough as it combines with unhide which bypasses regular tcp protocols to check outgoing stuff via the other protocols. ya me too.. just cuz i get flashbacks of my windows dayz, i run clamav, avg, chrootkit, rkhunter, unhide...
i have never found anything in about a year now of using Linux OS's.. i purged avg and clamav by the way... useless. :)
I didn't say any of the viruses were viable, just wondering what they were called. Windows is like a petri dish for viruses, linux, a hostile enviornment.
This whole issue depends on your definition of a virus. Self-replicating viruses are rare on any platform because webmail providers, ISPs, and routers screen pretty thoroughly. They are even rarer on Linux thanks to a sensible default permissions policy and open development process.
Other malware, on the other hand, could easily be created for Linux. A few reasons why it hasn't been:
- Small market share. While Linux is popular on servers, it's much harder to trick a server admin than many desktop users. Malware authors want to target as many people as possible.
- Limited user by default. While it is simple to set up a decent permissions policy on Windows, the defaults are very bad. This leaves many people open to infection. However, this policy can be circumvented in one of two ways:
a) Just convince the user to give the app or installer root privileges.
b) Take advantage of the ridiculous 15-minute sudo timeout in default Ubuntu
- Most Linux users are more experienced and less gullible. Since preinstalled Linux systems are rare, most Linux users installed the OS themselves and have some idea of what they're doing. Such users are harder to scam.
- The Linux community is quite tight. If someone began distributing a malicious Debian package or script, the forums would go berserk and most people would hear about and avoid it.
Social engineering scams can work on any platform. They just require arrogant, incompetent, or ignorant users to take advantage of.
Still ,for unsuspecting newbies who are browsing this thread.please read: http://www.linux.com/feature/60208 and: http://linuxmafia.com/~rick/faq/index.php?page=virus
Bookmark these pages .
my colleagues envy my switchover to ubuntu - they call me "virus-free" :) they complain that avira and avg slows down their machines, but are not brave enough to migrate. i don't feel sorry for them.
russu52 said: my colleagues envy my switchover to ubuntu - they call me "virus-free" :) they complain that avira and avg slows down their machines, but are not brave enough to migrate. i don't feel sorry for them.
I'm not quite sure why they use Avira or AVG... :confused:
cardinals_fan said: I'm not quite sure why they use Avira or AVG... :confused:
free...
linbeans said: free...
Common sense is priceless, but free for those who have it.
ThreatFire is also free, for the paranoid or less logically able.
well, I was just confirming my thoughts, that viruses simply fizzle out in the linux world. And with that note, I would like to add one way to universally infiltrate all systems: ENTER YOUR ROOT PASSWORD TO CONTINUE:D
Is there even such a thing as a distro-specific virus?
And how can there have been viruses around for Linux for 40 years? Would you please explain that?