Is there a repository of free & fully functional AntiVirus?

[linuxsansdisquedur]

on live cd virus (Linux virus ) can't touch your OS ,
on install frugal a copy'n'past and your os is safe again,
If you use windows you DO HAVE an anti virus
... and your data
just think about backup some time or just accept to lose 'em

but...is anybody here ever get some virus under puppy

best antivirus is you !

[Jasper]

Hi,

In Lucid Puppy I use EMSI/a-squared (both quick and USB download versions) and the debian version of avast! which installs easily on Lucid Puppy. As wdm said, you will need the tweak and also the free registration code which has to be renewed every 14 months. On Windows I use the Windows version of avast! to provide active protection since protection is far better than detection and cure may, in any case, be very difficult and sometimes impossible.

Whereas the avast! updates (usually 1 or 2 a day) are incremental for its Windows version, the Linux/Puppy/Debian version is full. Thus, broadband is advisable for the linux version, but dial-up is fine for the Windows version.

Personally, I am a great believer in clones and backups, but if the clone/backup includes malware then so presumably will any restore. This hardly seems to matter with Linux, but it may be critical with Windows.

I do agree that safe browsing habits in avoiding dodgy sites usually have have a major effect on keeping systems clean of malware. I use WoT (Web of Trust) to warn me of bad sites - however it is not perfect and there are other methods.

My understanding is that whilst Linux is generally super-safe (apart from phishing) it is not immune from rootkits.

My regards

Clam on-demand versions (command line and GUI) for Linux are incremental and good for dial-up users. Some Linux users only do AV checks to protect Windows contacts, but this is virtually useless unless a particular Windows user has few other contacts.

[GuyKL]

Thanks for the info Sir Jasper.

When you said Avast install easily on Lucid (is this the code name for the latest Puppy?, noob here), is that mean it is as easy as installing it on Windows? I thank you in advance.

[RetroTechGuy]

It seems complicated to me. Does Puppy have anything like Ubuntu/Mint that I can choose the software (in this case, Antivirus) to install from the list?

Complicated in what way?

If it is the installation, YorkieSnorkie has created a .pet install:

http://puppylinux.ca/tpp/ttuuxxx/other/ ... 6-i486.pet

when challenged:

username: puppy
password: linux

[RetroTechGuy]

For ClamAV, they do update daily. I use it on Windows.

Anyone who have use it on Puppy feel free to share.

I use it to scan Windows OS. Puppy doesn't actually need it...

[RetroTechGuy]

I was never impressed with ClamAV as an anti-virus tool for Windows. There seemed to be too much malware that it never detected.

My personal favourite is the AVG Rescue CD. You run it as a live Linux CD so you can take it to any Windows machine and it auto-updates itself over the net.

Thanks for the reply.

Perhaps someone know other option of AV that we can install easily on our Puppy?

With the AV rcrsn51 suggested, you don't actually need to install - it's a live-boot CD (has its own OS on the disk).

Also, Puppy comes with F-Prot, but you need to go through an update process.

I haven't been thrilled with any of the recent AV programs -- on Windows systems they have become so large and bloated, that they bring even a fast machine right to its knees.

In Linux you don't (in general) need a virus program -- other than to scan your Windows partitions.

[GuyKL]

With the AV rcrsn51 suggested, you don't actually need to install - it's a live-boot CD (has its own OS on the disk).

Also, Puppy comes with F-Prot, but you need to go through an update process.

I haven't been thrilled with any of the recent AV programs -- on Windows systems they have become so large and bloated, that they bring even a fast machine right to its knees.

In Linux you don't (in general) need a virus program -- other than to scan your Windows partitions.

You mean Puppy come with F-Prot (is it good?) Out of the box that can be use without any installation? Glad to hear that. Thanks for the info.

[RetroTechGuy]

With the AV rcrsn51 suggested, you don't actually need to install - it's a live-boot CD (has its own OS on the disk).

Also, Puppy comes with F-Prot, but you need to go through an update process.

I haven't been thrilled with any of the recent AV programs -- on Windows systems they have become so large and bloated, that they bring even a fast machine right to its knees.

In Linux you don't (in general) need a virus program -- other than to scan your Windows partitions.

You mean Puppy come with F-Prot (is it good?) Out of the box that can be use without any installation? Glad to hear that. Thanks for the info.

In years past, I exclusively used F-Prot real-time protection on my Windows machines (though the last version I tried it, it brought my Windows machine right to its knees... Now, I simply don't let my Windows machine on the network, and run without AV).

Typically, it's a good idea to scan with a couple different AV programs, and if they don't find anything, you're probably clean.

As for whether F-prot works "right out of the box", I'm not completely sure. But I know that it is in the menu (I believe under "utilities" -- though I may be in the wrong sub-menu). You will need an internet connection, as it will want to download it's multi-MB AV database, before you can start.

[GuyKL]

I see. Thank you very much. I will give it a try.

[Jasper]

Hi again,

Do you use Wine and/or any version of Windows (and if yes, tell us XP or whatever)?

If you use any version of Windows then active protection (in Windows) is a must. A few say safe browsing is sufficient but there is nothing lost by using one of the free active programs such as avast! and much to gain.

avast! (is quite fast) and is invariably one of the top 5 programs with about 97% effectiveness whilst Clam is usually about 10% lower. I do not usually mention this since it seems churlish to complain about good free programs.

You can download the Debian version of avast! (from their site) and double click on it to install it in Puppy (then ask about the update tweak).

Emsi usually comes top with about 99+%, but it also tends to report a higher number of False Positives than most other programs. If you already have Wine (or want to install it using Quickpet) then try the link I gave.

Using any version of Linux, as of today, drive failure might be a significant risk and a massive problem (without clones or backups), but use WoT or something similar and be sensible and do not worru about viruses, especially if not using Wine.

At the risk of being assassinated by BarryK or others, I would say that if you have inquisitive children or even other animals exploring your keyboard then accidental deletion of anything and everything seems possible with Puppy - so I diffidently suggest (as a minimum precaution) locking your box if you leave your Puppy unattended.

Do let us know if you have Wine or Windows and how you get on.

My regards

[Bruce B]

If I wanted to take scanning seriously, I'd use a variety of no cost
scanners.

Something not mentioned often at all, but very important for those
concerned about files becoming infected is: With Linux the vast
majority of files can be made immutable and a virus couldn't write to
them or replace them even with root privilege.

With Puppy Linux running in Frugal mode, the vast majority of files
are also impervious to viruses. The reason being is the vast majority
of files are contained in the ro squashfs filesystem.

With Frugal any suspicious or unwanted files would/should be (under
most circumstances), confined to the the pup_save file. This file is
easy to mount and inspect for suspicious files.

Moreover, if people would spend some effort figuring out how to
merge the wanted changes in the pup_save file with the squashfs
all those files would be protected from change.

And simple scripts could be written using a utility like md5deep
which could check for new, removed and changed files.

[GuyKL]

Hi again,

Do you use Wine and/or any version of Windows (and if yes, tell us XP or whatever)?

If you use any version of Windows then active protection (in Windows) is a must. A few say safe browsing is sufficient but there is nothing lost by using one of the free active programs such as avast! and much to gain.

avast! (is quite fast) and is invariably one of the top 5 programs with about 97% effectiveness whilst Clam is usually about 10% lower. I do not usually mention this since it seems churlish to complain about good free programs.

You can download the Debian version of avast! (from their site) and double click on it to install it in Puppy (then ask about the update tweak).

Emsi usually comes top with about 99+%, but it also tends to report a higher number of False Positives than most other programs. If you already have Wine (or want to install it using Quickpet) then try the link I gave.

Using any version of Linux, as of today, drive failure might be a significant risk and a massive problem (without clones or backups), but use WoT or something similar and be sensible and do not worru about viruses, especially if not using Wine.

At the risk of being assassinated by BarryK or others, I would say that if you have inquisitive children or even other animals exploring your keyboard then accidental deletion of anything and everything seems possible with Puppy - so I diffidently suggest (as a minimum precaution) locking your box if you leave your Puppy unattended.

Do let us know if you have Wine or Windows and how you get on.

My regards

Sorry noob question here.

Is that mean that using linux like Puppy making risk of HDD fail higher?

[Jasper]

No. It just means that Linux is highly immune to viruses, but remains at risk (as with other OSs) from drive failure.

[nooby]

Bruce B wrote:

And simple scripts could be written using a utility like md5deep
which could check for new, removed and changed files.

I wish that such would be made and made quick pet or included in future Puppy versions? Would not that be a good thing?

[RetroTechGuy]

No. It just means that Linux is highly immune to viruses, but remains at risk (as with other OSs) from drive failure.

With the exception of this known issue with Linux waking the drive repeatedly:

http://www.rrfx.net/2010/03/western-dig ... rives.html

If you decide to get one of these "green" drives, there is a firmware patch to increase the timeout, thus avoiding the load cycle issue.

Over the years, I have noticed that Linux tends to push hard drives a bit harder than Windows systems -- still I regularly had drives run for 5-6 years, 24/7.

But let's note that Puppy is so small that it boots in no time, so there is no reason to leave it running unless you're using it.

And lastly... ALL HARD DRIVES WILL FAIL... So keep your stuff backed up on an external drive.

[linuxsansdisquedur]

And lastly... ALL HARD DRIVES WILL FAIL...

So.... use puppy
puppy can keep on running you PC as usual even without HD

[RetroTechGuy]

And lastly... ALL HARD DRIVES WILL FAIL...

So.... use puppy
puppy can keep on running you PC as usual even without HD

Well, at some point you probably have some data to store. Whether on a flash drive, or spinning media, it will wear out and fail...

[imnotrich]

I was never impressed with ClamAV as an anti-virus tool for Windows. There seemed to be too much malware that it never detected.

My personal favourite is the AVG Rescue CD. You run it as a live Linux CD so you can take it to any Windows machine and it auto-updates itself over the net.

Clam is available from the Ubuntu repos, but it doesn't impress me -- too many false positives.

XF-prot works great in puppy up to Pup 4.3.1 - in fact I use it on this laptop when I'm puppying.

But something changed recently in the repos, I was trying to rescue a friends infected laptop two weeks ago, booted to 4.3.1 live cd and attempted to install XF-prot. The install failed because XF-prot could not determine it's own version. Not a rant but maybe a bit of a whine here...if it's not broke, don't fix it! XF-prot was working fine and it's a pity to abandon, as it's a much better av program than the alternatives.

[looseSCREWorTWO]

Here in Australia there is currently an inquiry being done on Internet use and one of the things being considered is to deny Internet access to anyone who does not have Antivirus protection.

To get XF-Prot to work with Puppy 431 Retro, what steps do I need to follow?

[GuyKL]

No. It just means that Linux is highly immune to viruses, but remains at risk (as with other OSs) from drive failure.

Even when running fully from memory and turn off the HD?