Ubuntu Unleashed 2013 Edition: Covering 12.10 and 13.04, Eighth Edition

Viruses

In the right hands, Linux is every bit as vulnerable to viruses as Windows is. That might come as a surprise to you, particularly if you made the switch to Linux on the basis of its security record. However, the difference between Windows and Linux is that it is much easier to secure against viruses on Linux. Indeed, as long as you are smart and diligent, you need never worry about them. Here is why:

• Linux never puts the current directory in your executable path, so typing ls runs /bin/ls rather than any program named ls in the current directory.

• A nonroot user can infect only the files that user has write access to, which is usually only the files in the user’s home directory. This is one of the most important reasons for never ...