what type of malware can infect my netbook version of ubuntu..its the latest version? Is there a list I can review and where would such a malware hide specifically?

most of the malware are developed to infect computers using windoze. since linux is a complete different operating system, windoze malware can't affect linux. however, linux is not totally immune. you can download and install software from unknown sources that can infect your system. as well, you can install malicious browser add-ons that run on java and is independent of the opsys.

Thanks for your reply. Are there other anti-virus software instead of Clam
AV for Ubuntu?

On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 12:19 AM, marcus aurelius <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #145293 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/145293
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> marcus aurelius proposed the following answer:
> most of the malware are developed to infect computers using windoze.
> since linux is a complete different operating system, windoze malware
> can't affect linux. however, linux is not totally immune. you can
> download and install software from unknown sources that can infect your
> system. as well, you can install malicious browser add-ons that run on
> java and is independent of the opsys.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/145293/+confirm?answer_id=0
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/145293
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware#Anti-virus_applications.

Thanks for the link but the list of software doesn't seem to show the exact
link to their linux version? I would like to download an alternative anti
virus software besides Clam AV because it seems to generic for my tastes.

On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 10:36 PM, Eliah Kagan <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #145293 on clamav in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/clamav/+question/145293
>
> Project: Ubuntu => clamav in ubuntu
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

yes, I insist there is some sort of trojan malware on my netbook...I have
the latest Ubuntu software on it but have been targeted before by someone in
the past....

On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 9:48 AM, david mc fadden <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #145293 on clamav in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/clamav/+question/145293
>
> Status: Answered => Open
>
> You are still having a problem:
> Thanks for the link but the list of software doesn't seem to show the exact
> link to their linux version? I would like to download an alternative anti
> virus software besides Clam AV because it seems to generic for my tastes.
>
> On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 10:36 PM, Eliah Kagan <
> <email address hidden>> wrote:
>
> > Your question #145293 on clamav in ubuntu changed:
> > https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/clamav/+question/145293
> >
> > Project: Ubuntu => clamav in ubuntu
> >
> > --
> > You received this question notification because you are a direct
> > subscriber of the question.
> >
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

I presume you're able to follow those links to their Wikipedia pages, where there are descriptions and links to external sources which may enable you to decide which suits your needs best, as well as links to their official websites where you can find downloads for Linux-based operating systems, as well as installation instructions.

Not all of the antivirus products listed on that page are available gratis; some of them are not merely proprietary (i.e. non-free, "closed source"), but also require payment to obtain and/or use.

If you can be more specific about how ClamAV is not suitable for you (what do you mean that it's "too generic"), then perhaps a more specific recommendation would be possible.

Finally, you should be aware that if you believe you have malware on your computer, you should really reformat your hard disk and reinstall your operating system and all of your programs. That provides a degree of assurance unparalleled in the antivirus market. Your system has been taken over--you cannot trust it.

Clam AV is generic in the terms that it did find 4 viruses on my netbook but
it did not let me know what they were! Where they are located and that sort
of thing....Is there a list of malwares and viruses that effect Ubuntu
specifically? I would like to learn more about them in order to prevent
them...

On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 2:19 PM, Eliah Kagan <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #145293 on clamav in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/clamav/+question/145293
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Eliah Kagan proposed the following answer:
> I presume you're able to follow those links to their Wikipedia pages,
> where there are descriptions and links to external sources which may
> enable you to decide which suits your needs best, as well as links to
> their official websites where you can find downloads for Linux-based
> operating systems, as well as installation instructions.
>
> Not all of the antivirus products listed on that page are available
> gratis; some of them are not merely proprietary (i.e. non-free, "closed
> source"), but also require payment to obtain and/or use.
>
> If you can be more specific about how ClamAV is not suitable for you
> (what do you mean that it's "too generic"), then perhaps a more specific
> recommendation would be possible.
>
> Finally, you should be aware that if you believe you have malware on
> your computer, you should really reformat your hard disk and reinstall
> your operating system and all of your programs. That provides a degree
> of assurance unparalleled in the antivirus market. Your system has been
> taken over--you cannot trust it.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
>
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/clamav/+question/145293/+confirm?answer_id=5
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/clamav/+question/145293
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

When you run "clamscan" it prints a list of every file it's scanning to the Terminal, and for each file, whether or not it found malware. Then it prints a summary. If you didn't save the output, then you'll have to redo the scan. See http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/maverick/en/man1/clamscan.1.html. You may find that running clamscan with the -i flag helps, as that makes it only show infected files. You may also find that running clamscan with the -l flag (for "log") helps, as that makes it record everything it's telling you in the log file you specify after the -l flag.

It seems that your finding ClamAV insufficient for your needs was the result of your not being aware of how to use it properly. The link provided above should help. If you choose to use ClamAV again and you have any more problems, please feel free to post about them.

Viruses for Linux-based systems are sufficiently uncommon that a virus found on an Ubuntu system is far more likely to be a Windows virus than a Linux one. (The primary reason people run ClamAV in an Ubuntu system is to find *Windows* viruses.) You could have a Windows executable stored on your Ubuntu system, which is infected with a Windows virus. If you run Windows programs with Wine, then Windows viruses could actually be running on your Ubuntu system, too, but they would be extremely unlikely to spread to your Ubuntu executables, or to run when no Wine components are running.

If you are experiencing problems with your Ubuntu system, they are more likely to be coincidental to ClamAV having found viruses, than actual results of virus infection. Please feel free to post a new question (or for separate problems, separate questions) about any problems you are experiencing with Ubuntu.

This page contains a (outdated) list of Linux viruses and other Linux malware, as well as other information you may find useful:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Linuxvirus