Ubuntu

do i need antivirus or firewall

Asked by alfaroce

hello i a new to ubuntu so far i love it but i dont know why i has become little slower and ff is crashing so i am wondering a virus?? i believe that ubuntu was mostly clean on the web but dont know if i need to install anything like antivirus or firewall. thank you

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Soul-Sing
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
John Brooks (frogging101) said : 		#1

Hello, alfaroce. You do no need any antivirus, as linux doesn't get viruses. As for a firewall, ubuntu has a built-in firewall if you feel you really need it. Ubuntu's firewall is called ufw, look that up on the ubuntu wiki or on google for more information.

Revision history for this message
Rob Frerejean (hffrerejean) said : 		#2

You can install a Anti Virus program. I did this too. I did this for scanning my incomming mail. Not for my system, but if I forward my mail to non Linux users. So they won´t get a virus from me. All virus code is written in Windows. So it won´t work in Linux. So no worries there.

Like Frogging said. A Firewall is build in in your Ubuntu. If you need to change something or what ever, you can install Firestarter. That´s a nice program where you can control your firewall.

Have fun with it.

Revision history for this message
Best Soul-Sing (soulzing) said : 		#3

The firewall is iptables. It is installed but not active. Frontends to enable iptables are ufw, gufw.
If you are running a desktop environment, it is not directly needed to enable iptables, because ubuntu comes with a zero open ports policy.
A antivirus program is not needed on linux, because there no active, and relevant linuxvirus(es) known at the moment.

Revision history for this message
alfaroce (alfaroce) said : 		#4

Thanks leoquant, that solved my question.