Scan your Linux machine for viruses with ClamTk
What do you mean - "scan your Linux machine for viruses"? Linux is immune to viruses right? Well...mostly. Even though a proof of concept virus has been discussed, and nothing has actually made it into the wild...you still have email on your system. Some of that email could easily make its way (by way of forward for example) to another, non-Linux, machine. Because of that alone you should employ a virus scanner on ALL of your machines (Linux, Mac, Windows...)
For Linux, ClamAV is one of the best virus scanners. And not only is ClamAV one of the best, it also has a great front-end for users who prefer to not have to deal with command line tools. That front-end? ClamTk. In this article you will learn how to install and use ClamTk to keep your Linux box virus free. Your friends and co-workers might thank you in the end.
Installation
First and foremost, ClamAV is required (You can read more about ClamAV in my article "Add antivirus to Postfix with ClamAV") so you will need to have that installed and updated (might even be wise to make sure ClamAV is the latest version and run the freshclam command to update your virus signatures before you begin the installation of ClamTk).
If you're unsure how to update ClamAV you can do so fairly easily. Let me show you how to update ClamAV in Debian. Follow these steps:
- Open up a terminal window.
- Gain super-user access (either with the su command or using sudo - depending upon how you use/administer your system).
- Open up the /etc/apt/sources.list file in your favorite editor.
- Add the line deb http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile etch/volatile main contrib non-free to the bottom of the file.
- Save and close the sources.list file.
- Issue the command apt-get update.
- Issue the command apt-get install clamav clamav-base clam-freshclam.
Your ClamAV should be up to date. Now let's install ClamTk.
From the same terminal window, issue the command apt-get install clamtk which will install the latest version of ClamTk. You are ready to scan.
Using ClamTk
To open the ClamTk window (see Figure 1) you can either click Applications > System Tools > Virus Scanner or from either the run dialog (<Alt>F2) or a terminal window issue the command clamtk. One of the first things you should do is click Help > Update Signatures which effectively runs the freshclam command.
You can take care of scanning a few different ways:
- Click Home button (the Home icon) to do a quick scan of your ~/ directory.
- Click the Binoculars icon to scan a single file.
- Click the magnifying glass to scan a directory.
- Click Scan > Recursive Scan to scan a parent directory and it's children.
- Click Scan > Home (thorough) to do a more thorough scan of your home directory.
Since I use Claws Mail, I would want to do a recursive scan on the ~/Mail directory. I will warn you, a thorough, recursive scan can be somewhat resource intensive. So if you need to do this type of scan, you might want to do it when you're not busy, otherwise your machine might become a bit less responsive.
Final thoughts
I am happy to say that I have yet to come across an infected file on any of my Linux machines. Does that mean I will stop scanning? No. I get a ton of email, and I prefer to do my part to ensure that no email that might leave my inbox (especially forwards) contains a virus. You should do this as well, even when Linux is your main operating system.
Other way: don’t install that crappy AV!
I had GOM player slip this in on an update.
Hi! You can also find detailed instructions here: http://www.avg.com/ww-en/secure-search-uninstall I hope it helps. Thanks.
if anyone actually took the time to read through their earnings statement would understand the importance of the toolbar, it’s a cash cow, and can’t blame them for pushing it to uninformed users.
it’s not a company to bet on when it’s driven mostly by short term revenue rather than innovation…
The sitesafety plugin is spyware which cannot be removed from your browser EVER. I have uninstalled the toolbar, and made the error if saying “Yes, keep sitesafety for secure web searches” which means FOREVER. I have deleted all files pointing to AVG, because they will no longer uninstall through control panel add/remove. “Could not uninstall at this time try again later” I don’t want to DISABLE it I want it GONE. But it keeps regenerating. AVG Secure Search directory keeps coming back to life in my Programs Folder, even though I removed everything called AVG in document and settings profiles for administrator, all users, myself, default users, it keeps coming back. It keeps UPDATING with Firefox’s update plugin option, so I am unable to auto update my other VALID plugins due to that one being auto updated and reinstalling everything too. NEVER USE AVG for anything, THEY refuse to help remove it too. They say it is something I must have done. YES, I made the mistake of clicking “Yes, keep avg secure search while removing the toolbar” I have read elsewhere that this IS THE KILLER DECISION. It makes removing secure search impossible.
I cannot seem to block AVG security search toolbar from reinstalling. Whether I use windows uninstall or Revo, I get “Could not uninstall at this time try again later. Revo does show all the files it thinks are related to AVG secure search toolbar, which are scattered throughout my drive, and I select all and delete. The next day I get a new task-bar pop up asking to activate, I decline, but look in the programs and there is AVG secure search listed again!!! I tried in Chrome to block any cookies from AVG, [*.]avg.com, Blocked, under privacy setting. Any thoughts. I also have Symantec endpoint protection but it has no clue this is going on. Any ideas?
“So what’s the purpose of the toolbar? It ships with a link scanner that displays security information about websites. This is similar to what Web of Trust does. The toolbar itself offers search, weather information, a link to a speedtest and other features that are not really related to security.” Relevant security information about known/unknown websites; a SMALL matter you omitted. Similar to Web of Trust but not the same; another omission In math terms no equal. No, these features are not related to security but are securely offered. Correct me on the last point if I am wrong. I will ask AVG as I conclude with our conversation. “Martin Brinkmann… He is passionate about all things tech and knows the Internet and computers like the back of his hand.” Yea, sure. And at my age I am just to believe it “because I read it on the Internet.” What? Did you write this yourself, Martin? Not ALL of us fall for the same old lame lines. Superior products come from Germany as do Sweden. AVG will tell anyone, for free, how to uninstall their free product line. How would I know? I asked them! Oh, but pardon me. My day and age has passed; you “blogger’s” know everything know adays. Asking a company is tantamount to stupid these days for you young people. I would suppose you consider all the times AVG Safe Search and Surf Shield saved a computer one time as to all the other useless apps out there that freeze a computer to be the main danger to the computer. And we are talking computers, Mr Brinkmann, as a cell phone is a computer with the ability to make a call. Verses a true mobile phone back in my day. Well, you have better things to blog about than an old man like me. In the end, sir, the problem IS the end user and not a company who builds free products for those who know not how to employ them. Try writing about the ineptitude of the end-user. After all if everyone knew their computers OS and how to…… Well, safe to say, Mr. Brinkmann, your work shall never end.
All I have left on my pc is AVG secure search. When I try the normal Uninstall page of Control Panel, it just hangs and I end up having to restart. The longest we have left it is 4 hours. I have also tried Revo, as another forum swears by it. Same problem.
Even the AVG site gives you both the Unistall option (that doesn’t work) and the Add Ons option (I use Firefox). Neither work at all.
Whatever I do, it just hangs. I cant get rid of it. Please help.
AVG CRAP can be easily removed with FILE UNLOCKER, COMPLETELY REMOVED! After
removing AVG CRAP, restore IE by downloading Microsofts IE repair software. PRESTO – NO
MORE AVG BULLSHIT or lame Indian tech support asking for payment to remove their own
garbage. AVG installs if you download winzip7 from softpedia, and system information wizard from other download sites.
I removed all instances of vprot.exe from my registry and startup (run). I then removed everything under “C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG Secure Search”. Then I edited the properties of the “AVG Secure Search” directory, removing inheritance and leaving my account as having the only access and finally, I denied my accounts right to traverse folder/execute file. After a several reboots for good measure, I am having no problem.
Since the directory exists, AVG can’t create it and the system has no rights to the one that exists, so whatever process keeps reinstalling it, is shutdown cold.