anti-virus with dual boot

I'm not familiar with any virus that clever. The main purpose of AV for Linux is to scan any email and attachments you download - so you don't forward or transfer any virus.

Thank you very much Bhavani for your most inteligent and detailed reply. I
will get the Hacker book you suggest. jean

On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 1:02 AM, Bhavani Shankar <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #40551 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/40551
>
> Bhavani Shankar proposed the following answer:
> Linux as it is is safe because of the following reasons:
>
> Since its open source thousands and millions of experts around the world
> look at the code and run the code and test it out for vulnerabilities
> and fix those vulnerabilities and release new updated packages.. So Its
> always recommended that to keep your system updated to the latest to
> keep your system secure....
>
> Next up is viruses and malicious codes:
>
> Let us take the case of a virus first...
>
> Viruses arent easy to program in linux because of Ubuntu/Linux has very
> CLEAR definitions of groups and users, file ownerships and permissions..
> So In ubuntu/linux if at all a virus is there it can affect only the
> user who ran the program.. And because of the file ownerships and
> permissions the USER will have a control over the system unlike in
> windows where the OS has control over the machine.. This makes Virus
> development in linux difficult to say the least..
>
> Ref this article for more info:
>
> http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/188
>
> Next up through Email:
>
> Most viruses and malware in Windows computers come in email or as
> voluntary or involuntary downloads from web sites.
>
> I don't think anyone would be likely to be transferring email files between
> Linux and Windows because you can't read Linux email files in Windows, or
> Windows email files in Linux.
> If someone used Ubuntu to take a backup from Windows and store it, that
> might re-infect the Windows operating system if the email was restored again
> from a backup but that could happen from any backup no matter where it was
> stored.
>
> If you downloaded an infected file such as an .exe file for a game from a
> website in Linux and copied it into your Windows file system and clicked on
> it to install the game it would probably infect Windows alright.
> On the other hand, if you downloaded an .exe file for Windows using Linux
> you would be a lot safer if you're smart. You could download the .exe file
> and scan it with AVG in Linux or any other virus scanner you can install in
> Ubuntu. You could also copy it into a shared data partition first instead of
> directly into Windows. Then you could boot Windows and scan the shared data
> partition with your antivirus in Windows before you copy the file into
> Windows and install it.
> Therefore, I would say that by using Linux you would be increasing the
> safety and security of your Windows installation.
>
> Next we shall take up malicious code:
>
> To prevent running malicious code you can use an IDS (Intrusion
> Detection System)
>
> snort is widely used as an IDS.. (IDS basically is just a trap sort of
> thing)
>
> Snort on ubuntu here:
>
> http://www.howtoforge.com/intrusion_detection_base_snort
>
> You can also use prelude to achieve the same purpose:
>
> http://www.prelude-ids.org/
>
> Prelude is now an industry standard in IDS...
>
> Next up there are various tools like nmap ettercap nessus netstat netcat
> cheops and so on to test the vulnerability of your system (Nessus is the
> best vulnerability scanner I found with all the deadly plugins)
>
> One thing that is to be taken care of is avoiding physical access to
> unauthorised persons
>
> Because in security Physical access = Root access we can do almost
> anything like
>
> Use a live CD and getting admin access
>
> In the case of ubuntu boot up in recovery mode and gain root access..
>
> Booting from a removable disk will skip the hard disk's bootloader
> completely.
>
> and social engineering like email bombing impersonating so on is the
> human element of security and it can be overcome by sufficient awareness
>
> So at the last to summarise:
>
> Linux is secure without physical access to unauthorised persons
>
> To get started with linux security.. I suggest you to go through Hacking
> Linux exposed by McGraw hill publications..
>
> Hope it clears your doubts...
>
> Regards
>
> Bhavani Shankar.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
>
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/40551/+confirm?answer_id=1
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/40551
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>
>

--
Jean Lette
<email address hidden>

thanks Yeshara, jean

On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 9:44 PM, Yeshara Ravitz <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #40551 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/40551
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Yeshara Ravitz proposed the following answer:
> I'm not familiar with any virus that clever. The main purpose of AV for
> Linux is to scan any email and attachments you download - so you don't
> forward or transfer any virus.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
>
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/40551/+confirm?answer_id=0
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/40551
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>
>

--
Jean Lette
<email address hidden>

excellent and detailed reponse. congratulations to Bhavani for his clarity of thought.