Clam.av Newbee Questions

OK, new to Linux, and SUSE, I managed pretty well to take the step to SUSE 10.3
Thanks for a fine dist, realtively easy to get up and running for a windows-looser-user...

I have understood that even in Linux you should have a anti-vrus protections so I installed CLAM and KLAM in KDE.
No problem getting it started and scanning for the first time, both as root and as a user.
As root also starting auto-scan starts fine but as any other user I after some secons get get the message:
"The auto-scan process died unexpectedly!"
I found a similar question here but don't think it's related as auto-scanning works well for me as root:
(http omitted due to new user) //forums.suselinuxsupport.de/index.php?showtopic=35798&pid=160494&st=0&#entry16 0494

So what is the problem here really?
Why dont clam (klam?) behave similary for all users?

I hope others members of he forum can help you out, but I am afraid that not many people run anti virus software on their system.

Btw I did not bother to read the Clam documentation, but when a 'scan' function run by root does what I think it should do, it will scan the whole system. So no need to do that again as a normal user. A normal user can not scan the whole system, but how is Clam told what to scan in that case?

Welcome to the forum karfmb!

As hcvv said, not many use antivirus with Linux. I am one of those who does not run it. I know a few folks in here that do run antivirus software, so perhaps they will give you some more insight. Good luck, and please share any observations you may have as a new user.

I hope others members of he forum can help you out, but I am afraid that not many people run anti virus software on their system.

Btw I did not bother to read the Clam documentation, but when a 'scan' function run by root does what I think it should do, it will scan the whole system. So no need to do that again as a normal user. A normal user can not scan the whole system, but how is Clam told what to scan in that case?
[/b]

Clam is told to scan everything if I want to in the panel, but as normal user, not all directories are allowed for acces, so clam sends
a message about it, and contiunes to next dir.
So, I only made a full scan as root.
Prblem is that as user, there is a big need for scanning all files accessed.
Which is impossible.
Om startup, I can try to enable autoscan, and am then asked for root pw for accessing the dazuko module.
I give the pw and clam starts in autoscan-mode, but after a few secs "
"Can't Start On-Access Scanning! Check you have read permissions on file /dev/dazuko."
I have tried to give all rights to the user, but after every re-start of the system, the rights are removed again.
And even before a restart it doesn't work any way; after a few seconds:
"The auto-scan process died unexpectedly!" still i have all rights to dazuko.

i am far from an expert when it comes to linux, but in my humble opinion you don't really need anti virus scanners. as long as you only install from trusted sources then you are pretty safe. make sure your firewall is on. if you are really interested in security i think it will be more worthwhile for you to learn how to use SELinux, or apparmor if you find that too tricky. this is just my opinion, but 99% of linux users won't use anti-virus protection for linux machines (some use scanners to scan for windows viruses). anti-virus scanners just slow down your system. no virus that i'm aware of can do any damage on linux whatsoever without a root password. so only install from trusted sources and you'll be fine.

i am far from an expert when it comes to linux, but in my humble opinion you don't really need anti virus scanners. as long as you only install from trusted sources then you are pretty safe. make sure your firewall is on. if you are really interested in security i think it will be more worthwhile for you to learn how to use SELinux, or apparmor if you find that too tricky. this is just my opinion, but 99% of linux users won't use anti-virus protection for linux machines (some use scanners to scan for windows viruses). anti-virus scanners just slow down your system. no virus that i'm aware of can do any damage on linux whatsoever without a root password. so only install from trusted sources and you'll be fine.
[/b]

Depends on the system as MC stated in another thread if you have a server accessing windows or a mail server antivirus is a good idea. Also klamav uses very little system resources.
Out of interest where did you get the number 99% not using antivirus?

/Geoff

Well no success yet running Auto-scan. Always "dies unexpectedly"
Maybe it's not neccessary...

Well no success yet running Auto-scan. Always "dies unexpectedly"
Maybe it's not neccessary...
[/b]

are you running a server, or just a user end desktop? if a server does it anyway contact any windows client pc's? in which case it would be useful/even a necessity to some to use. but i feel as a user end desktop it is nearly worthless if one is not stupid. others may disagree, i see hcvv has the same attitude towards this as me.

@geoffro - by saying 99% i wasn't giving a literal quote hence no links etc to references, i was just trying to point out a fact that most users of linux using a user end desktop don't bother with anti virus. i was of course wrong in my % given for which i apologise. i should have said you will most likely find that a majority of users don't use antivirus, since more than half of linux users (certainly that i know of at least) don't use anti-virus. sorry again.

are you running a server, or just a user end desktop? if a server does it anyway contact any windows client pc's? in which case it would be useful/even a necessity to some to use. but i feel as a user end desktop it is nearly worthless if one is not stupid. others may disagree, i see hcvv has the same attitude towards this as me.

@geoffro - by saying 99% i wasn't giving a literal quote hence no links etc to references, i was just trying to point out a fact that most users of linux using a user end desktop don't bother with anti virus. i was of course wrong in my % given for which i apologise. i should have said you will most likely find that a majority of users don't use antivirus, since more than half of linux users (certainly that i know of at least) don't use anti-virus. sorry again.
[/b]

Just an end user dt...
OK, but it should work...

Just an end user dt...
OK, but it should work...
[/b]

i'm sorry i can't help with the reason it doesn't work, i know it's frustrating when you get something and it doesn't work properly, but i wouldn't worry too much about anti-virus for an end user desk top. enjoy linux