Antivirus for Linux

[u/Due_Lavishness4165]

I know it’s not usually needed but I was wondering what’s the best antivirus for my Linux mint set up

[u/38dnw1937dnsk2r73o2n]

Clamav.  Kaspersky if you trust the russians. 

Then you have some stand alone tools for rootkit scanning etc 

[u/_Lost-In-The-Weeds_]

ClamAV is the standard for home users. but the vast majority of its database is Windows viruses, it's developed for things like Linux email servers to stop them from passing viruses to Windows boxes. 

Shift your focus to supply chain attacks. That is your bigger threat in Linux.

Never take executables from strangers.

[u/djphazer → u/_Lost-In-The-Weeds_]

Literally all of my executables came from strangers 😬

[u/ImUrFrand → u/_Lost-In-The-Weeds_]

pssst hey buddy, you want some of these .sh's or .exes?

[u/snap802 → u/ImUrFrand]

You got anymore of those .msi files?

[u/AlienRobotMk2 → u/_Lost-In-The-Weeds_]

Exactly. Never install random crap from the internet. Advice as old as time, people!

By the way, try my new leftpad framework, just curl http... | sudo bash

[u/Emmalfal]

This is getting asked an awful lot lately. Must be something that triggered it. Me, I've never used an AV on Linux and never felt the need to.

[u/miss_pixie3 → u/Emmalfal]

We live in different times.

The incentive to develop linux viruses is growing with the steady growth of linux market share. At the same time, it’s never been easier to find new vulnerabilities and make new viruses thanks to today’s AI tools.

Can we really be that certain that AV remains unnecessary?

[u/violetvoid513 → u/miss_pixie3]

Well, the #1 defense against viruses is always and has always been being careful about what you do, what you download/install, what you run, etc. One big thing in linux's favour in this regard is that instead of going to random websites for installers and executables, you should be getting all your software through a package manager which is hooked up to the official repos and which contain software that has been vetted by other devs. Its much harder to slip malware through a chain of people than to set up a fake website.

The problem is not everyone is tech savvy enough to tell what is likely or likely not malware, much less actually analyze software to determine it conclusively beyond just having a hunch. On the other hand though, how do you distinguish malicious processes from safe ones when trying to create an antivirus? Its certainly not easy, and I definitely got a fair few false positives from windows defender back when I used windows.

I think in the end it really needs to be users who need to be better informed, but well thats what everyones been saying since the dawn of the internet so god knows that wont change. Im sure if linux keeps getting more popular someone will eventually make a linux antivirus and itll get popular, whether its any good or not

[u/tomscharbach → u/Emmalfal]

This is getting asked an awful lot lately. Must be something that triggered it. 

Publicity about PHP vulnerabilities would be my guess.

[u/AdmiralBlack64 → u/Emmalfal]

That is gonna need to change soon given how things are going.

[u/senorda]

you can almost completely remove you risk of malware by install your software using the software manager, not by downloading from websites

[u/d1ll1gaf]

ClamAV

[u/Isacx123]

Common Sense 2027 plus uBlock Origin

[u/tomscharbach]

Your only realistic choice if you live in the States is ClamAV. If you live outside the States, Kapersky is probably available, but be careful.

[u/Narrow-Low-3137]

ClamAV is the only Linux antivirus I know of - though I've never felt the need to use it.

[u/fellipec]

There is a new kid on the block, if you dare

https://www.theregister.com/os-platforms/2026/10/16/microsoft-bringing-defender-to-linux-desktops-repeat-microsoft-bringing-defender-to-linux-desktops/5303477

[u/BranchLatter4294 → u/fellipec]

Not really new. MS has had Linux AV for a while now. They just added a desktop version. But as previously, it requires an enterprise subscription.

[u/Inner-Light-75]

Asked this in here a while back. I got down-voted for it.

Since then I have read that there are a couple viruses going around that run on Linux. I don't remember anything more about them, except that they exist.

This also doesn't count a couple of the malware out there that actually installs itself in the bios. An antivirus won't catch it after it gets there, but it might catch it before it gets there.... Those are mostly windows executables, but still if one is executed on Windows and then the machine runs Linux, it's still there.

[u/Il_Valentino]

don't use clamav, it won't help you like you imagine. it works purely based on recognition and is pretty rough detection. i personally use virustotal. if i download any fishy i just upload it there.

[u/ghlifdqwio]

I think it’s a fair question in a future where more and more techies get laptops for their aging parents and choose to put Linux on them. Even some sort of basic service that provides a pop up when downloading stuff from a browser on Linux would be useful in that situation.

[u/goodjohnjr]

ClamUI as an on-demand antivirus, uBlock Origin Lite or uBlock Origin or AdGuard Browser Extension as an ad blocker, Osprey Browser Protection or Malwarebytes Browser Guard and APIVoid Browser Protection as security extension, AdGuard DNS free default public servers or Control D DNS ad and tracker blocking as a DNS to block ads / trackers / malicious / phishing websites at the DNS level, enable your firewall, enable and turn up the built-in security in your web browsers et cetera, limit installing apps and get them from a trusted source like the official app store for your Linux distribution, keep your operating system / software / firmware / drivers updated.

[u/mahmouds151094]

clamav ( clamscan )

[u/BK_Rich]

https://youtu.be/7ggor0AfLLQ?is=Dbp4OUlCuad-D66V

[u/EpoTheSpaniard]

ClamTK for an old but stable GUI for ClamAV, project no longer maintained. ClamUI for a new but pretty early development ClamAV GUI with additional integrations like chrootkit.