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Scanning For Windows Viruses Using Unix?

Posted by Cliff on from the penguins-screening-for-bill-bugs dept.

Webmoth asks: "As a networking consultant providing services to small businesses, I find myself installing an increasing number of Linux/Samba servers. Many of these clients are now getting always-on Internet connections with static IP addresses so that they can have an in-house mail server on that Linux box. I am concerned about the increased possibility of viruses infecting their network because of this. I'm not worried about the Linux box contracting a virus (that typically requires user intervention), but would like some solution, a software package running on Linux, that monitors for Windows viruses as files are accessed on the Samba server. It would be nice if there was a module that interacted with Sendmail to block e-mail viruses, too." Remember, many solutions that work for Linux will work for other Unixen as well. Unix machines typically act as mail servers for most enterprises so it would help prevent e-mail virus outbreaks if scanning can be done at the server level as well as the client level.

"Ideally, this Linux antivirus product would act as a server to provide virus definitions and scan control to Windows clients (much like Symantec's Norton Antivirus Enterprise Solution, formerly Intel's LanDesk, which is a great product but Windows-exclusive), as you can't trust users to maintain their virus software. Symantec had a press release back in April which seemed to indicate Linux support, but a knowledge base article posted the following day reveals that support is provided by scanning a shared Linux filesystem that can be mounted by a Windows box running Norton Antivirus. I'd like to see real Linux support. Anybody know of a practical solution?"

2 of 20 comments (clear)

  1. Install the Outlook Security Patch by BitMan · · Score: 3

    Will solve 99.9% of your problems. Of course it messes up Outlook's automation features, but that was the problem in the first place. It got rid of all our issues.

    BTW, Bynari has an Exchange-server replacement for Linux that will give your Outlook clients most of those features back at the server level. As such, we're thinking about switching from HP OpenMail to Bynari's TradeServer.

    -- Bryan "TheBS" Smith

    --
    -- Bryan "TheBS" Smith
    Independent Author, Consultant and Trainer
  2. NAI by kevin42 · · Score: 3
    McAfee has a linux scanner that uses the same dat files as the windows version. I've been using it for a while and it does a good job. It's even caught a few viruses for me:

    http://www.nai.com/asp_s et/ buy_try/try/products_evals.asp

    If you are looking for an email scanner check this out, it is a great email scanner:

    http://www.amavis.org/