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Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

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Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by wildalaska » Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:05 am

I got Mint working, it’s real nice. About to leave the Microsoft plantation!

But I need antivirus, firewall, and malware programs. Running an Intel based ASUS machine, which came with Win7.

Any suggestions? Is Symantec able to run under Mint? What about Malware-bytes?

Your wisdom will be appreciated.

Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.

Moem Level 22
Posts: 15620 Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2015 9:14 am Location: The Netherlands Contact:

Re: Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by Moem » Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:11 am

No, you don’t. This isn’t Windows. Switch on your firewall, and you’re done. You can find it by typing ‘fire’ in the menu search box.

If your issue is solved, kindly indicate that by editing the first post in the topic, and adding [SOLVED] to the title. Thanks!

Re: Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by DAMIEN1307 » Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:14 am

if your running windows. you need anti-virus. in linux you do not. read the following page from easy linux website which will explain the basics of security built into linux distributions. then please come back where we can help you with any other questions you may have. DAMIEN

Re: Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by Schultz » Mon Sep 17, 2018 11:23 am

As has been said, you don’t need AV in Linux. I know it can be hard for newbies to believe, but it’s true. (Read the link DAMIEN1307 gave, it’s good advice. The whole site is really.)

Mint already comes with a firewall, Gufw. It’s off by default so you need to turn it on.

AscLinux Level 4
Posts: 437 Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2016 3:32 pm Location: Acadiana Contact:

Re: Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by AscLinux » Mon Sep 17, 2018 11:43 am

This is the mindset of Windows users — viruses come and infect your computer. In actuality there needs to be a vulnerability, a security hole for viruses to exploit. Windows has thousands of security holes, in other words, it does not have the first line of defense. Thus it relies on AV software for protection. Unfortunately, all major AV software providers agree about 1/3 of badwares slip through undetected. As a result being online with a Windows computer is like a lottery, you may get infected or you may not. And there is nothing you can do about it.
Conclusion. If there was any kind of certification for online security no Windows device would pass it. Like cars without brakes are not legal on public highways. But of course, Microsoft has huge influence, it declares itself an important part of US economy. So we lose billions annually to computer criminals who use happily Windows computers as a platform to commit their crimes. In past when your computer got owned you could notice it slowed down and your internet speed was affected. Today you won’t notice anything. The CPU’s are powerful and internet speeds are high. Your Windows computer may host an application used remotely by cybercriminals for years and you wouldn’t know.

phd21 Level 20
Posts: 10102 Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 9:42 pm Location: Florida

Re: Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by phd21 » Mon Sep 17, 2018 11:48 am

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

It would help to know more about your system setup. If you run » inxi -Fxzd » from the console terminal prompt, highlight the results, copy and paste them back here, that should provide enough information.

As everyone is stating, Linux users do not need anti-virus and anti-malware applications installed.

Phd21 : Mint 20 Cinnamon & xKDE (Mint Xfce + Kubuntu KDE) & KDE Neon 64-bit (new based on Ubuntu 20.04) Awesome OS’s , Dell Inspiron I5 7000 (7573) 2 in 1 touch screen, Dell OptiPlex 780 Core2Duo E8400 3GHz,4gb Ram, Intel 4 Graphics.

AscLinux Level 4
Posts: 437 Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2016 3:32 pm Location: Acadiana Contact:

Re: Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by AscLinux » Mon Sep 17, 2018 12:09 pm

Let’s put it this way. There are two kinds of computer threats — badwares (viruses, trojans, malware, whatnot).

1. The ones that use a vulnerability of your OS to gain unauthorized access.
2. The ones that con the user into installing them.

As a Linux user you need to worry only about the second kind. Do not install anything you do not know it comes from a trusted source.
I think there was even a case a malware made it to Google apps and the results were rather catastrophic, it was installed from a trusted source! So do not let your guard down!

karlchen Level 22
Posts: 17361 Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2011 7:21 am Location: Germany

Re: Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by karlchen » Mon Sep 17, 2018 12:09 pm

• Antivirus software:
  No, you do not really need it, because Windows malware will not work on Linux Mint and will not be able to infect it.
• Firewall:
  Yes, but it comes pre-installed. You enable it by executing sudo ufw enable
• Malware programs:
  Definitely not. You do not want any malware programs on Linux, the same way as you do not want malware programs on Windows. Typically, you do not install malware deliberately, typically, it comes on your system unasked-for. But you do not want it there. I do not.
  The best way of preventing malware from entering your system is by installing software only from the official software repositories.

The people of Alderaan have been bravely fighting back the clone warriors sent out by the unscrupulous Sith Lord Palpatine for 500 days now.
The Prophet’s Song

Re: Any recommendations for Linux Mint anti-virus and internet security?

Post by richyrich » Mon Sep 17, 2018 12:11 pm

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Best Antiviruses for Linux Mint 21

Linux systems are stable and secure but they are often attacked by viruses. Although surfing the web and watching a video seems harmless, there are cyber security risks to your device. Various types of software known as malware can be used to monitor what you are doing and can steal personal information. That’s why you need antivirus, they are the programs that protect your system from the attack of malware and viruses.

These programs can help you to protect not only your device but your information, from hackers and scammers. There are various antivirus software programs available for the Linux Mint. Whether you are looking for a free software antivirus or willing to pay for a program we have covered the best antivirus for your Linux system.

Best Antiviruses for Linux Mint

Malware such as trojans and worms invade the Linux device and cause harm to your system. In order to protect your Linux devices from such viruses, you need a strong antivirus program. Some of the best programs for the Linux Mint are listed below:

1: Avast

Avast is the most popular and most used antivirus software for Linux Mint. It protects your Linux system from online threats. Some of the popular features offered by Avast software are:

• It scans all the files of the device and online files
• The software is automatically updated on regular basis to provide the protection against latest threats
• It prevents unauthorized access to your system
• It can be run through command line

The Pros and Cons of the Avast software are:

Pros	Cons
The background scanning is good	It consumes a lot of space
It has user-friendly interface	Slow the speed of the device
Advanced firewall protection and comes with useful features	It is not an open source

2: Comodo

The other most demanded virus scanner for Linux based systems is Comodo. Below are key features of this tool:

• It provided security by checking the cloud files
• Protects the device from all upcoming threats
• It updates automatically to protect the device from new threats

The pros and cons of the Comodo tool are:

Pros	Cons
It provides impressive features	The protection from phishing is not too good
It comes with a secure browser	It slows down the system
It is an effective sandbox tool	It is a bit complicated

3: ClamAV

It is the free and open-source tool for Linux based systems. It detects trojans, viruses, and malware. Below we have listed some features offered by ClamAV:

• It is easy to install and use tool
• Provides the work from the command line interface
• It Provides database updates
• Scans within archives and compressed files
• Update database multiple types in a day

Following are the pros and cons of the ClamAV:

Pros	Cons
It is free and open-source program	It offers the limited features as compared to other antiviruses
It is easy to use and customizable	It has the lower detection rate for some malware
It is compatible with almost every Linux distro	It affects the performance of system

4: mcAfee

mcAfee antivirus is compatible with almost all devices and is available for the Linux. The features of mcAfee are written below:

• It provides the real-time protection against viruses
• It ran in the background and detect virus anytime they enter in the device
• It blocks new viruses using heuristic scanning

The pros and cons of the mcAfee are:

Pros	Cons
Firewall protection for hybrid networks	Random pops up of the software can be annoying
It user-friendly	Block the useful websites
Stays up to date	Take alot of time while scanning

5: Sophos

Sophos is the powerful free Linux antivirus, some of the features of this tool are listed below:

• It provides the real time scanning of the directories in the Linux
• Users can scan the system at any time
• The software update automatically
• It is helpful for Linux users as it can be launch via command line

The Pros and Cons of the Sophos:

Pros	Cons
It is effective in removing the malware from the system	Consumes more memory and slows down the system
Easy to install and has a user-friendly interface	It does not offer protection against all types of malwares
It has a free version	Free version lacks advance features

Comparison of Five Powerful Linux Antivirus

Below we have compared the features of the five powerful and best antivirus tools for Linux Mint:

Antivirus Software	Avast	Comodo	Clam AV	McAfee	Sophos
Supported Platforms	Linux, Windows, macOS	Linux, Windows	Linux, macOS	Linux, Windows, macOS	Linux, Windows, macOS
Price	Partially free	Partially	Free	Paid	Partially
Features	Real-time protection, malware scanning, firewall, email protection, web protection, Wi-Fi security scanner	Real-time protection, malware scanning, firewall, HIPS, sandboxing, cloud-based threat analysis	Malware scanning, command-line scanner, database updater	Real-time protection, malware scanning, firewall, web protection, email protection	Real-time protection, malware scanning, firewall, web protection, email protection, application control
User Interface	Modern and easy to use	Modern and easy to use	Command-line interface	Modern and easy to use	Modern and easy to use
Performance	Light on system resources	Can be resource-heavy	Light on system resources	Can be resource-heavy	Light on system resources
Detection Rate	Good	Good	Average	Good	Good
False Positives	Some reports of false positives	Some reports of false positives	Few reports of false positives	Some reports of false positives	Some reports of false positives
Customer Support	Good	Good	Limited	Good	Good

Bottom Line

Linux is the most secure operating system; however, viruses and malware still attack the system. Having good antivirus software installed on your system provides an additional layer of security. There are several antivirus tools available for the Linux Mint, we have listed the top three most popular and widely used antivirus software. Choose the one according to your requirements.

About the author

Zainab Rehman

I’m an author by profession. My interest in the internet world motivates me to write for Linux Hint and I’m here to share my knowledge with others.

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