Microsoft Cuts Anti-Virus Support For Unix / Linux

jasonmicron writes "As previously reported on Slashdot, Microsoft has completed the aquisition of Sybari Software this morning. Before the ink was even dry, Microsoft cut all new antivirus support for all Unix and Linux definitions. Current customers will continue to receive support but new customers will not have the option to purchase the software under Unix / Linux. From TFA: Post acquisition, Syabri becomes a Microsoft subsidiary focusing on marketing anti-virus and anti-spam protection for Microsoft messaging and collaboration servers. It will continue to market Sybari's Lotus Domino products but will not sell Antigen versions for Unix and Linux."

Comments

Who cares

[Anonymous Coward]

ClamAV is actually becoming usable, more hands might light work etc

Re:Who cares

[Limburgher]

Sorry, ClamAV is not merely usable, ClamAV is awesome. They update quickly, and one can set up regular updates and scans with cron in seconds. It catches stuff McAfee misses and it has a nearly transparent milter. The milter's a bit tough to set up from scratch, but you can still scan your maildirs with cron if you like. That might be good enough for some orgs. But by and large ClamAV is all you need.

Re:Unix Viruses?

[dfn5]

Unix Viruses? Probably due to the lack of viruses/customers

This is true, however, it is nice to be able to scan for Microsoft viruses on your Unix file and email servers. Oh well. Good thing there is ClamAV.

No big loss either.

[KerberosKing]

There are plenty alternatives like those listed in the unix-linux antivirus mini-faq http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/openantiviru s/mini-faq/av-unix_e.txt?rev=1.40&view=markup Kindly compiled by the OpenAntivirus Project http://www.openantivirus.org/

RAV (Romainian Anti -Virus)

[PhYrE2k2]

They did the same thing with RAV (Romainian Anti -Virus)- one of the best qmail/sendmail/postfix/courier and console+monitoring virus scanners when M$ bought it.

First the sales stopped, then the virus definitions took a few days to get updated on each big 'outbreak', then they stopped coming at all... *sniff*

Fortunately by then, ClamAV had matured more than it did when we purchased RAV for our mail servers, and it was kicked to the curb.

In any case, why is this news? Microsoft decides not to put THEIR MONEY (since they purchased it) into their competitors products... duh!

-M

Re:*sigh*

[a_greer2005]

Yes If it were apple, /. would post.

Re:And you're surprised by this...

[DJStealth]

I am not their fan either, but they are withing their rights here, Besides who really needs a AV for unix anyway ?

Keep in mind that the antivirus software is for messaging servers. Just because the server is running Linux/Unix, does not necessarily mean that the clients are. It is still useful to have a virus scanner for *nix to catch things in e-mail before it gets to the windows/client side.

Open Source Alternatives

[vhogemann]

ClamAV
http://www.clamav.net/

OpenAntiVirus Project
http://www.openantivirus.org/

Actualy I have an Email server setup wit Postfix + AmavisNEW + SA + ClamAV, and I'm yet to see a virus that passed undetected.

Check our virus detection statistics here:
http://integracao.saude.rio.rj.gov.br/amavis-stats /

We're behind the main corporate server, so our department depends on it to send or receive email. They use a NortonAV server, but more than once an infected email passed trough, and it were stoped by our Server.

So I now wonder how ClamAV would perform against the proprietary alternatives...

I really want to try it, but our "corporate policy" states that every email traffic must pass trough the "homologated" AV solution. We're actally the only department that is really using Linux for real, and the rest of the company still has this strong Microsoft culture and don't quite trust Open Source...