Lots of users might not be aware that it is possible to get a computer virus on Linux. In fact, in the last couple of years, the number of attacks on Linux users have increased. As a result, the popularity of Linux virus scanners has increased.
There are quite a few virus scanners on Linux available. In this list, we’ll cover the best ones that the platform has to offer. We’ll also talk about where to get your hands on them, features and more! Here are the best anti-virus apps for Linux users!
1. ClamAV (Clam AntiVirus)
ClamAV is the leading open source virus scanner for the Linux platform, and if you’re trying to find a good virus scanner for your Linux desktop or server, this app should be your first stop.
It runs in the command-line, can be used on both Linux servers and desktop PCs, and works very well to get rid of loads of different types of malicious software, including malware, email server exploits, viruses, and even Windows exploits that can be passed on to Linux users.
Notable features
- ClamAV is a command-line centric application, which makes it very efficient and light on memory and CPU usage.
- ClamAV can detect a variety of different viruses, including malware, email server exploits, viruses, and even Windows exploits.
- The software works on both servers as well as the Linux desktop.
- ClamAV’s email virus scan feature supports a wide variety of file types, including popular archive formats, executables, MS Office documents, HTML files, PDFs and more.
- ClamAV’s virus definition database is updated every 4 hours, ensuring you’ll always have the latest info on exploits.
Download – ClamAV
ClamAV comes standard on most Linux distribution’s software repositories. In the past, I wrote an in-depth guide on how to use ClamAV to scan for viruses on a Linux PC. If you’re interested in learning how to use the program, or how to download it, check this post.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to find installation instructions for the program by visiting Pkgs.org, as they have an extensive list of ClamAV packages for most Linux distributions.
2. Comodo Antivirus
Comodo Antivirus is a robust, freemium exploit scanner for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It can detect most types of viruses, spyware, malware, and sketchy files. The app promises to “obliterate viruses” while protecting your precious CPU usage.
While Comodo Antivirus probably isn’t the go-to virus scanner for many Linux users, given the fact that it’s not open source, it’s still worth a look. Why? It’s got an incredibly useful set of features, and the user-interface is similar to popular Windows virus scanning apps, which may be comforting to those new to the Linux platform.
Notable features
- Comodo’s “Cloud-based” scanning gives users excellent protection from malware, viruses and the like.
- Useful, friendly user-interface is welcome to Windows users switching over to Linux.
- Comodo can quickly isolate and quarantine viruses to ensure your computer’s safety.
- Easy download for almost all modern Linux operating system.
Download – Comodo Antivirus
Comodo Antivirus for Linux must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. The reason that users need to obtain the program in this way is that it’s not open-source software, and thus Linux distributions have no interest in making it available.
To get your hands on the latest release of Comodo Antivirus for Linux, go to the download page. Then, click the drop-down menu and select your operating system.
Currently, Comodo supports Ubuntu, Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora, CentOS, RedHat Enterprise Linux server and a few others.
3. Armadito
Armadito is a virus scanner application for Windows and Linux. It works to protect your computer by scanning for numerous types of exploits including malware, trojans, and others.
The Armadito virus scanner application is pretty similar to a lot of other scanners available on Linux and Windows. However, it stands out by offering up some fantastic features, such as the ability to run a web console for easy remote administration.
Notable features
- Armadito can run on a server or a traditional Linux PC thanks to its web UI.
- Comes with a “heuristic detection module” that detects unknown malware.
- Adopts many of ClamAV’s scanning and detection tools but is much simpler, which is helpful as the ClamAV virus scanner is much more difficult.
- Armadito’s alert system enables users always to be notified if there is an issue.
Download – Armadito
Those that want to download Armadito will need to head over to the download page on the official website. Sadly, though the tool is open source, no mainstream Linux distributions currently have the program in their software sources.
4. ClamTK Virus Scanner
ClamTK isn’t a virus scanner in and of itself. Instead, what it is, is an easy to use graphical interface for the ClamAV anti-virus scanner for Linux. Mainly, if you like the features of the ClamAV tool but dislike dealing with the command-line, you’ll get the same useful features in a nice, easy to use interface.
Notable features
- ClamTK takes all of the advanced ClamAV features from the command-line and wraps it up in an incredibly simple user interface that the average Linux user can use.
- ClamTK supports folder scanning integration with all major desktop environments and their file managers.
- “White-list” feature makes excluding files and folders from scans a breeze.
- Easy to schedule scans with.
Download – ClamTK Virus Scanner
ClamTK, like ClamAV, is in many mainstream Linux distribution’s software repositories. If you’d like to install it, go over to the ClamTK page on Pkgs.org. It’ll show you a long list of systems that it is available for, along with installation instructions.
Conclusion
Though viruses are less common on Linux than they are on Windows, it’s still a good idea to have one installed on your system. If you’ve been trying to find a good virus tool for your Linux computer, do check out some of the apps on this list. You won’t regret it!
Read 4 best anti-virus apps for Linux by Derrik Diener on AddictiveTips - Tech tips to make you smarter
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