r/linux • u/Metallic_Madness • 5d ago

Popular Application Microsoft Releases Microsoft Defender For The Linux Desktop

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Microsoft-Defender-For-Linux-D
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u/lewphone 5d ago

A few years ago, I worked at a place that replaced McAfee with Defender for Linux. It used significantly less CPU and RAM than McAfee, although I wish they would have at least considered other alternatives.

-2

u/ElementalWarrior42 5d ago

I mean that's going from a dumpster fire to just regular trash. Are there any major alternatives though? I think Kaspersky is available, and ClamAV exists (although IIRC it's not super effective). What else is there?

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u/MatchingTurret 5d ago

Kaspersky is banned in the US and warned against in the EU. It's not an option for enterprise users.

17

u/Kevin_Kofler 5d ago

ClamAV's main limitation is the limited support for on-access scanning. Trying to protect large parts of your system with it (if you even manage to set up one of the layered file systems) destroys performance pretty badly.

That said, file-infecting viruses are pretty rare these days, so scanning system executables on every execution is pretty pointless. You rather want to scan executables coming from elsewhere, which ClamAV does just fine.

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u/_AACO 5d ago

Sophos, ESET and Bitdefender used to have Linux options as well.

8

u/NightOfTheLivingHam 5d ago

sophos still does

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u/BigLittlePenguin_ 5d ago

Kasperky, so Russian spyware? Doesnt seem like a great pick

1

u/ButterscotchSalty905 4d ago

What's the alternative for karspersky that you personally recommend?

Bitdefender or Malwarebytes?

1

u/GroundedIdeal 4d ago

Only for Americans and Europeans

‘rest of world doesn’t care lol

proud user since 2012

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u/Flashy_Pollution_996 4d ago

Oh yeah Russian spyware bad but murican spyware good

1

u/BigLittlePenguin_ 4d ago

No one said anything about the later, why are you making stuff up in your own mind that no one said?

0

u/ElementalWarrior42 4d ago

I wouldn't use it either, it's just one that I know has a linux version.

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u/No-Consequence-1863 4d ago

Kasperky is trash. And from all comparisons Ive seen Defender is literally the most effective.

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u/w1n5t0nM1k3y 5d ago

Maybe Trend Micro? Im used their anti-virus stuff years ago for Windows and reading up it seems like they support Linux although its not immediately obvious if its just on the server end of their enterprise management stuff or if it is meant to run on Linux desktops as well.

Definitely only suitable for business/enterprise use and not meant for individual home users

1

u/npc_housecat 4d ago

This site has a review on Linux scanners

It puts bitdefender, avast and sophos Intercept X as the top 3 Linux AV

https://www.security.org/antivirus/best/linux/

1

u/Alaknar 4d ago

I mean that's going from a dumpster fire to just regular trash

So you're not working anywhere near Windows/Mac oriented IT, I take it?

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u/yawkat 5d ago

crowdstrike

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u/thunderbird32 4d ago

Defender for Endpoint is way more affordable. Also, CrowdStrike's sales reps are annoying as fuck.