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My Linux friends, a query, if you will.

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kip
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26 Jan 2010, 3:44 am

I recently got one heck of a bug in my windows installation. Normally I don't mind, I intentionally go to some less than savoury sites. However, this time it infected files on my external HD, which is where I back up everything for just the reason stated above. My question is: Is there anything for Linux that can scan windows files, such as installers for windows and some system files I modify and keep on the external? I need to weed out this virus, but I caint do it from an installed copy of windows because it automatically copies itself over to the main drive. But in Linux, even in wine, I caint run the exe's cleanly enough to see if they've been infected. This is new to me, so any help would be appreciated.


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Fuzzy
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26 Jan 2010, 4:10 am

kip wrote:
I recently got one heck of a bug in my windows installation. Normally I don't mind, I intentionally go to some less than savoury sites. However, this time it infected files on my external HD, which is where I back up everything for just the reason stated above. My question is: Is there anything for Linux that can scan windows files, such as installers for windows and some system files I modify and keep on the external? I need to weed out this virus, but I caint do it from an installed copy of windows because it automatically copies itself over to the main drive. But in Linux, even in wine, I caint run the exe's cleanly enough to see if they've been infected. This is new to me, so any help would be appreciated.


The straight up linux virus scanner clamav should do the trick. It will return positive for windows viruses. clamtk is the front end application. AVG or avast comes for linux too, if that suits you better. The contents of your windows drives are frozen in time as far as the virus is concerned.


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kip
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26 Jan 2010, 4:56 am

Fuzzy wrote:
kip wrote:
I recently got one heck of a bug in my windows installation. Normally I don't mind, I intentionally go to some less than savoury sites. However, this time it infected files on my external HD, which is where I back up everything for just the reason stated above. My question is: Is there anything for Linux that can scan windows files, such as installers for windows and some system files I modify and keep on the external? I need to weed out this virus, but I caint do it from an installed copy of windows because it automatically copies itself over to the main drive. But in Linux, even in wine, I caint run the exe's cleanly enough to see if they've been infected. This is new to me, so any help would be appreciated.


The straight up linux virus scanner clamav should do the trick. It will return positive for windows viruses. clamtk is the front end application. AVG or avast comes for linux too, if that suits you better. The contents of your windows drives are frozen in time as far as the virus is concerned.


Thanks, Fuzzy. That's exactly what I needed to know. And I know it wont infest my system as long as I'm in Linux, but I'm going through Sims withdrawals. Need Win for that.


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DentArthurDent
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27 Jan 2010, 1:51 am

I often use Linux to remove virus's from infected windows machines. Funnily enough I decided to do a scan of my Ubuntu install really just for the fun of it. I was astonished and just a wee bit concerned when Klam told me that it had found 2 virus's. Then I realised it had searched my Xp disk as well and that is where they were located :lol:


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kip
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27 Jan 2010, 5:56 am

Well, I assume it's working, it found a few instances of infection on my external. I just find it annoying that it cannot seem to read nested folders. So it's slow going.


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Fuzzy
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27 Jan 2010, 7:30 am

kip wrote:
Well, I assume it's working, it found a few instances of infection on my external. I just find it annoying that it cannot seem to read nested folders. So it's slow going.


I recall there is some way to tell it to recurse. You might have to run it in terminal and offer it some letters.


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kip
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27 Jan 2010, 8:15 am

Fuzzy wrote:
kip wrote:
Well, I assume it's working, it found a few instances of infection on my external. I just find it annoying that it cannot seem to read nested folders. So it's slow going.


I recall there is some way to tell it to recurse. You might have to run it in terminal and offer it some letters.


Doesn't a recursive scan mean it will only scan new info? Cause... if it doesn't, then maybe I'm not getting the meaning of the word.


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Fuzzy
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27 Jan 2010, 8:47 am

kip wrote:
Fuzzy wrote:
kip wrote:
Well, I assume it's working, it found a few instances of infection on my external. I just find it annoying that it cannot seem to read nested folders. So it's slow going.


I recall there is some way to tell it to recurse. You might have to run it in terminal and offer it some letters.


Doesn't a recursive scan mean it will only scan new info? Cause... if it doesn't, then maybe I'm not getting the meaning of the word.


Well, what I meant was it will tunnel down into sub directories.


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davidred wrote...
I installed Ubuntu once and it completely destroyed my paying relationship with Microsoft.