About Linux 12.10

[EmmaChanArashi]

Is it possible to get viruses if I update my Linux from the update manager?

[GastonJ]

Shouldn't be, they should carry out checksums for every package that's updated, usually signed with a key. Ideally don't install/update software that is dodgey or from a dodgey site

[TheCoder]

Unfortunately, many of the 'useful' aspects of linux tend to from repositories that are slightly dodgy. Once you install these repositories keysets then it becomes all to easy to install other possibly unwanted stuff.

Although virii aren't perhaps as common in the linux world as they are in the M$ world they certainly do exist in fairly large numbers. As a consequence of the more technical nature of linux the virii that do exist for this OS tend to be better written than their M$ counterparts whichs tends to mean you'll have more problems identifying and removing them

The key, as mentioned above, is to be very aware of what your actually downloading and alway run with the lowest priviledge necessary to get the job done. Never run as root unless absolutely necessary and always keep your enabled repositories to a bare minimum of trusted members (ie, the distribution recommended set).

[morcar]

From what i have been reading that a virus on Linux although possible wouldnt be able to really stay on the computer if you updated the kernel as this is where it would have to attack to do any kind of serious harm.

[TheCoder]

..... wouldnt be able to really stay on the computer if you updated the kernel as this is where it would have to attack to do any kind of serious harm.

If only it were that simple !

The majority of virii aren't really meant to cause serious harm to a system. Their function is often to either allow remote control (for functions like spambots or launching DDOS attacks) or to monitor for certain types of details and then transmit these back to the virus writers. Generally the virus will remain well hidden, consume few resources and generally try to be as unnoticeable as possible. Whilst quite a few may install themselves as device drivers very few try to modify the actual kernel.

Problems of the more prevelent type include modifications to such programs as web/ftp/email and ssh servers. Technicaly I suppose these types should be classed more as trojans than virii as they usually dont try to infect other files.

[morcar]

Well its only a matter of time before Linux gets flooded I think.

With how crap Windows 8 is for a desktop computer and how most people I know are going to stay on Windows 7 for as long as possible you may see an influx of people moving over to Linux distro's like Ubuntu or Mint.

Personally if anyone wanted to start out on Linux i would highly recommend Zorin OS as i found it so much like windows in looks that anyone can install it and use it without too many problems.

[Hoppy01]

Well its only a matter of time before Linux gets flooded I think.

With how crap Windows 8 is for a desktop computer and how most people I know are going to stay on Windows 7 for as long as possible you may see an influx of people moving over to Linux distro's like Ubuntu or Mint.

Personally if anyone wanted to start out on Linux i would highly recommend Zorin OS as i found it so much like windows in looks that anyone can install it and use it without too many problems.

Windows 8 is crap but a don't think there will be a increase in Linux demand as a result, when the Vista mess came out the figure for Linux users remained the same.
Your right about users running 7 till it dies but by then there may be a better alternative out there.
Lets face it, if you can't be arsed learning 8 then you will not want to learn Linux, it requires a lot more effort if your used to a Windoze OS and some programs for Windows will never work on Linux.
If MS didn't have such a big desktop monopoly then they would be out of business given all the **** ups they have done, but until better competition comes along we are stuck with it.
I would love to see something done with React OS and their technology, a would have thought someone would have invested in making a OS that is NTFS compatible..