(12-Jan-2012) Security consultant: Users who don't run antivirus software on Linux “working in favour of the hackers”
Starry-eyed Linux desktop enthusiasts could become passive conduits for malware, security experts warn.
From a quick perusal of support forums for the Ubuntu Linux distribution, you’ll notice that the necessity of an antivirus program for the OS is one of the touchier subjects. Some users are clearly running their systems under the assumption that Linux is virtually impervious to attack. Why, that’s one of the benefits of Linux, they say: You don’t need antivirus software.
Bad assumption, says Nima Dezhkam, senior security consultant at Security Compass, a Toronto-based security software development firm. It’s something he doesn’t have to explain to his enterprise clients, who already have antivirus software running on their Linux servers.