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12 Oct 2005
Grisoft, makers of the popular AVG Anti-Virus offering, has warned that it is "only a matter of time" before Linux becomes widely targeted by virus and malware writers.
Michael Foreman, a partner at AVG UK, said: "In the past few years we have seen the use of enterprise Linux applications growing steadily, and it is only a matter of time before we can expect to see virus attacks specifically targeted at these users.
"Grisoft is one of the first mainstream antivirus vendors to have started a whole new division dedicated to Linux protection."
The firm is preparing to launch what it claims is the first commercially developed Linux antivirus product to be available free for Linux users.
According to Grisoft, AVG Free Edition for Linux is the only program for Linux that self-updates the software, as well as checking for the latest virus updates.
"Most of the well-known antivirus vendors are not focusing on the open source market as it only accounts for a fraction of their sales," said Foreman.
Grisoft started sponsoring students working on Linux development at the University of Brno in the Czech Republic earlier this year, and is participating in the RedirFS open source project for file system access control in Linux kernels.
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Do you agree?
Still waiting
let me know when the plague breaks out, nearly 2 years now :-)
Posted by: Trevor Best 02 Aug 2007
it could be
i think the growth of linux virus/worm is still possible. It's NOT caused by the Linux system, but the user (especially desktop user) who will trap by virus/worm variant. Like accessing and open "trojan horse", then get infected. Be more realistic, well prepared is better than barking that linux is secure and forget the man/lady behind the gun who could make mistakes. I use clam antivirus in my ordinary jobs. And YES, i suggest linux users around me to have antivirus in their linuxbox.
Posted by: Jimmy Agung Gunawan 21 May 2006
Virus = Mircrosoft not Linux
There is a reason there has not been a swarm of virii and worms for Linux. The reason plain and simple is by design Nix in general is more secure. Fundemental flaws in how Windows is designed are the openings for %90 of Window's virii. Many of the exploits are able to use minor software problems but because of the insecure design of Windows these become serious exploits. In the Nix world most software flaws result in minor problems . The myth that Linux is not targeted is just that. Linux systems are plums for hackers. They cary built in a whole array of potential hacking tools. Cracking one Linux system is like cracking 100 Windows systems. Just looking at my logs I would say I am scanned at least as often as a windows machine. Then I am pounded on any open ports I have. So the effort is there. There is just fewer opportunities. As Linux grows more popular virii will become less and less an issue in the computing world. The fewer virii the more capable we will be to go after the sources of those that do come out thus leading to even fewer virus infections. So the claim of a coming plauge is pure fantasy. The opportunity is just not there. Microsoft continues to make massive security blunders such as bundling IE which might be a marketing masterpiece but works to ensure a continious flow of virii and worms. Linux continues to improve security thus reducing potential sources of vulnerabilities.
Posted by: Draciron 25 Feb 2006
Pure snake oil!
Given that NetProject Limited, in the form of Edie Bleasedale himself, has been offering a £10,000 prize for anyone who can infect his properly-configured Linux machines with a "virus" (there is no such thing as a Linux virus, and software to remove Windows viruses from e-mail passing through Linux mail servers has confused people's understanding of this), it seems strange that this "product" has achieved so much publicity...?
Posted by: GraceCourt 25 Nov 2005
What is it they sell?
What is it they sell again? Er anti-virus software. Perhaps Linux virus will be deployable with 45 minutes? Possibly spread by migrating flocks of geese? Its just scaremongering to shift more of their software.
Posted by: dogStar 18 Oct 2005
I think I've heard this one before
Back in 2000 a plague of linux viruses was "just around the corner!" too. So when's something going to happen? Fact is, as many people here have mentioned already, you have to be exceptionally stupid/willing to run a linux virus and let it damage your system, but even if you do, that's just not enough for a virus to be successful. A virus, be it biological or technological, has to spread faster than it it is killed, otherwise it will not survive. With each infection it makes, it will have to spread to MORE hosts in order to survive. But even if you do get the virus and go to great lengths to execute it so it can screw up your computer, chances are extremely good that the users on your contact list will not be as stupid. If the people the virus spreads to from you do not infect themselves with the virus, its path of propagation is effectively dead. If you look at the life cycles of some of the 'successful' windows viruses, you will see the same pattern everywhere. They spread to one host and from that one they spread to several more. That kind of thing is just not possible with a linux system because it takes user effort to infect a machine.
Posted by: mirri 16 Oct 2005
Nice trick you, are you a troll?
I doubt that those who write viruses for Windows are Linux people. It requires good knowledge of how Windows works and how viruses work to write one. Why would a Linux programmer spend hours and hours of time to write code for Windows? What would be their profit from that be? Nice trick, I think you are a troll and you just trolled me to write this. Your idea is so preposterous. I really would like to see what kind of test setup virus writers have. At least they should have very fast restoration for their setup after they have tested their virus and probably another machine to observe how it spreads and yet another to scan to monitor them...
Posted by: The goat that says baa! 15 Oct 2005
Give 'em a break...
Remember, Grisoft are not the bad guys here. Sure, they would like to get publicity and customers through these means, but their heart is in the right place. I believe this because I once e-mailed them with a suggestion (to add an option to install to a non-default location for improved security)--and the next version of their Windows anti-virus software promptly implemented it. They don't HAVE to provide free software that's better than most of the crap their competitors charge too much for--but they do (and, no, I don't work for them--and I recommend folks buy their software when they can). I wouldn't be surprised if one of the reasons that Intel has invested in them (substantially) was to help keep them out of the clutches of Microsoft... It's better to prepare for possible problems that never come than be caught flat-footed if something bad DOES happen!
Posted by: Michael Rudas 14 Oct 2005
Nice Trick
Why would hackers, viruses et al target their own fav OS. Who u guys are fooling ???.Huh
Posted by: Sidd 14 Oct 2005
Searching for markets
It is a fact thst antivirus companies have lived prosper due to vulnerabilities of Windows filesystem, mem access model and not-networked-oriented apps. If Microsoft is fixing his filesystem, the future for antivirus companies seems black. That's why companies like Symantec has another approaches, mainly protection against Internet menaces. Other companies must make desperate attempts to survive. Besides... what can a mid-sized company do that could not be improved by thousands of free developers?
Posted by: Rodolfo Alcazar 13 Oct 2005
Where's the X86_64 version
I looked at their page but there is no 64-bit version available
Posted by: Tommy 13 Oct 2005
A do nothing program
So, how difficult can be to write a program that does nothing? Schtoopidttt idiots... Herman http://www.aerospacesoftware.com/linuxhowtos.html
Posted by: Herman 13 Oct 2005
And the Sky is also falling.
Like the virus writers are just waiting for a market! What is this guy talking about? Maybe they will get around to writing aa virus for apache someday. HAHA
Posted by: Bill Gates 13 Oct 2005
Meaning:
They've started writing viruses for Linux. Good luck. Linux has no use for them; there's no money to be made by the developers. So when exploits start passing viruses, updates are made, and problems stay at a low level. But thanks for the vote of confidence that we've finally "Made it" to the level of distribution to be worth their time. :>
Posted by: Brian Fahrlander 13 Oct 2005
Any day now
Every so often a security firm makes these doom-and-gloom scaremongering announcements of how Linux is overdue for a virus explosion. The fact is that there are already plenty of Linux viruses (although not nearly as many as for Windows) but none of spread widely, ie. become 'virulent', any time in recent years. The operating system, the way its designed and the way the programs that run on it are designed make it highly resilient to viruses and this isn't going to change as more people start to use it. Linux security is far from perfect, new security holes are found regularly, it needs firewall protection as does Windows or OSX and so on. However don't be distracted from real security procedures like this by AV vendors who want everyone to be obsessed with perpetuating the Windows-world mess of hordes of viruses and band-aid-solution anti-virus software.
Posted by: Tim 13 Oct 2005
Cry Wolf (again)
Although there have been a few proof of concept Linux virus, we have yet to see any in the wild. Linux is a very hostile environment for virus writers. I still await anyone to claim Eddi Bleasdales 10,000 GBP virus challange.
Posted by: Jim Kissel 13 Oct 2005
FUD Alert
For a virus to work in linux: - You have to download it, - Explicitly make it an executable, - Then run it by prefixing it with ./ Then it will only effect the current users home directory anyway. Promotion to a root process is harder to achieve again. These guys are after sales - period.
Posted by: Linux_Mike 13 Oct 2005
Kaspersky ...
... is saying that for a couple of years now, but nothing happened.
Posted by: Ivan Cukic 13 Oct 2005
'Only a matter of time'
But how much time? Well, i can think of a couple of reasons for using this software. 1) Be nice to your Windows pals, and not (by accident) forward(!) mails with viruses. 2) Run an email server, and keep your (windows) users mail clean. 3) Be able to warn your friends and tell them when they're infected. But, seriously, i think a virus scanner for someones linux desktop is not usefull, yet. The thing is: linux viruses do exist in the wild, but they don't do much. It seems it is VERY difficult to make a dangerous linux virus. This is because a well configured and patched linux desktop computer is a pretty safe computer. Keep in mind that it IS (at least) as easy to keep a linux computer updated as keeping a windows machine updated. Also keep in mind that the installations of regular distributions nowadays are sane and safe by default. And many different distributions, a few major desktop environments, and a multitude of different mail agents do not many it any easier for virus writers. So until linux is as big as windows on the desktop AND many unpatched linux computers can be found in the wild, linux users need not worry about viruses. And i would suggest that anyone who is serious about being secure on-line should at least have a linux install on his computer. Even if you only give it a try. These days linux installs along side your windows installation on your computer. And you can still run anti-virus software on your linux computer, even if you only use to warn your friends.
Posted by: Jaap 13 Oct 2005
Well there's a surprise...
An anti-virus vendor proclaiming Linux will be the target of viruses, and at the same time announcing an anti-virus product for Linux. Why am I not surprised by this self-serving "revelation".
Posted by: MAdMaN 13 Oct 2005
Grisoft predicts Linux virus plague
So did McAfee some years ago.
Posted by: Atul Asthana 13 Oct 2005
What Self Service?
The article states that Grisoft is offering this Linux virus protection for free.. as well as offering it well in advance (cross fingers) of the predictable onslaught of malware aimed at the growing Linux market. Don't see a downside here...
Posted by: IconK7 13 Oct 2005
Not just marketing
While it may seem suspicious the company is predicting virus issues on Linux at the same time as offering a "cure", I don't think thi is just marketing. According to the article, the product is free to Linux users, so they aren't (directly) making money off this.
Posted by: Jesse 13 Oct 2005
A VERY hot cup of tea may be required...
Like THHGTTG, it may not be impossible, just very VERY improbable. Overconfidence is not a good thing... but I would agree with most here when they say that this is FUD.
Posted by: SAB 13 Oct 2005
Are you kidding me?
Just exactly how do you expect these yet-to-be-invented viruses to spread? There are a couple of proof-of-concept viruses in labs, but nothing in wild. The architecture of *nix makes this highly unlikely
Posted by: Jeff Davis 12 Oct 2005
Only a matter of marketing...
This is ridiculous... if you're not running as root, and you keep your services patched what can a 'virus' accomplish? Delete all your files? Run a command as you and run a script that sends the same script to all your evolution/kontact contacts? A 'virus' as it exists in the windows world is not possible in any UNIX environment if you stay smart and run as a 'normal' user instead of root. What's next? I virus written for Solaris to effect all the banks? F.U.D.
Posted by: Jason Harley 12 Oct 2005
how long?
I need a virus for my Debian. How log I have to wait?
Posted by: JULIO 12 Oct 2005
Curious
Gee..an anti-virus company predicting a virus plague on an OS with little AV market penetration. That doesn't sound self-serving. Lemme guess, Grisoft provides Linux AV tools. The truth is, Linux is not a monolithic operating system, and is therefore much less prone to the type of attack that Windows has suffered. 60% percent of Internet servers are running Linux, including Ebay, Google, and Amazon. With all that money and juicy customer info stored there, if there was going to be a Linux virus plague, you can bet it would have happened already.
Posted by: CGregan 12 Oct 2005
AVG Free Edition....for Linux?
I'm a little confused - you mentioned a free edition of AVG for Linux, but I've never heard of such a beast. When was it announced that this was being developed and where can I find out more information?
Posted by: Jacob Maurer 12 Oct 2005