🚀 go-pugleaf

Will Kemp wrote:

> On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:48:36 +1000, Erik de Castro Lopo wrote:
> 
>> sharonpst wrote:
>> 
>>> hi
>>> 
>>> i've just installed ubuntu 8.04 lts. i can't find the firewall and the
>>> antivirus. i know linux is safer than windows, but i assume that people
>>> still use a firewall, antivirus, spyware etc....
>>> 
>>> how safe is it to surf the net with the ubuntu cd live?
>> 
>> Completely safe. The default install of Ubuntu does not leave any ports
>> open to the internet. No open ports means no firewall is needed.
>> 
>> As for antivirus, the few Linux viruses in existence have never been
>> seen in the wild.
> 
> That's not exactly true. They have often been seen in the wild, but
> they're not spread in the way windows viruses are. Machines are generally
> only infected by them by manual intervention by someone using a rootkit.
> But, believe me, they're every bit as nasty as Windows viruses if you get
> one in your system!
> 
> Virus infection of a Linux system is, however, very rare - and, as
> someone mentioned, only really an issue for people running internet
> servers.
> 
>> Therefore anti-virus software is not need either [1].
> 
> I don't think anything that could really be called "anti-virus software"
> actually exists for Linux.
> 
> 
> 
The only virus issues I have heard of have been worms on servers, apart from
one recent virus reported somewhere like Slashdot, and there was no panic
about it.

If you are able to access a Windows partition, it has been suggested that
you install Windows antivirus as a precaution.  I am not sure what the risk
is, even then.  Possibly an email virus could be propagated.  I was told
not to bother.  Check your listing under Synaptic.

Doug.
-- 
Here lies one who meant well, tried a little, failed much
   - surely that may be his epitaph, of which he need not be ashamed.
-R.L. Stevenson.