Maximum PC

Hello! So being kinda new to the Linux scene, I have got the Lucid Lynx up and running on my wife's new internet box, but the question is, do you need an antivirus for Linux or do you not get them kinda like Macs? Also, if you do need an antivirus, what would be a good one to install? Thanks for your help in advance guys!

In 15+ years of playing with various linux distros, I've never used AV and never had a virus.

Thank you for the quick reply. Just wanted to be safe rather than sorry. Appreciate the help.

While I'm like Jip in that in the time I've been working in Linux, I've never had a virus either. I will say that recently I have started to run one, specifically for my email, just because there's so many windows users out there, who still continue to run windows without one.

...and I really don't want to be the person forwarding what's harmless to me to someone else, and damned right..I'm going to call the nob who sent me the thing to begin with.

...that you know of.

... pretty sure I know what I'm talking about when it comes to systems that I administer.

..and exactly how would you *know*

There are viruses on Linux but with variations of Linux, a hacker would have to make a virus for similar kinds of Linux Distros and a different one for another Linux OS. A less common Linux OS will probably have less viruses than more popular ones. And as Linux becomes more popular there will be more viruses for it. You probably wouldn't need a Anti-virus program but there are Anti-virus programs for Linux like ClamAV. You can learn more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware

There is even a virus for iPods!

Because a decent admin knows what processes should be running on their system.

A couple of corrections here.

Virii can be written for multiple distros quite simply .. one just has to write them to take advantage of the common points. Thus, rather than writing a virus that attacks, say, ubuntu, one would write a virus that attacks a specific kernel.

The reason that virii are less common on linux is that the OS is more secure by design. Every file has permissions. And everything is a file ..including threads. Well, except those things that aren't files, like sockets. I digress.

AV is always a good idea unless your environment is very secure. I didn't use AV on WinXP for years and never had a problem .. but my PCs were always secure in a hardened environment.

I think I should have studied a little more before posting...
I have always read that the reason that Linux had less viruses was because it was less popular and used. Mac OSX is not that secure from what I read and it doesn't have many viruses.
Thats why I said "a hacker would have to make a virus for similar kinds of Linux Distros and a different one for another Linux OS"
But I think I should have said "another kind of Linux OS"
I'm not trying to argue, I'm just pointing it out.
At least I learned something!

/cheers