Spyware
 

I am What you would call definately a Nub when it comes it Linux. before totally switching to Redhat or knoppix can linux get spyware?
what can be done about it. will ad aware run in it .. what about spybot?

spybot is for windows, in linux the only spyware/adware is the ones you install yourself, there realy is no spy/add ware, the only ones i can think of are add banners on web sites (your web browser can block em im sure), and internet cookies can be used to track were you are online (this can be solved by going thru and deleting unwanted cookies), there realy isent anythign that cant be solved, mustly its just regualr internet stuff that is on all OS , so u sohuldent wory, more questions, search this forum theres like 100000000000 psots just like this

I suppose it's possible but I've never come across any spyware or whatever. Most people use Windows so the spyware people prey on the herd. I suppose as Linux becomes more popular it will become a problem but I wouldn't worry about it just now.

cool. as for viruses are concerned since we arent running outlook or outlook express that isnt a problem either. plus its not a fat32 or ntfs partition.. am i correct to say that virusees are unlikely for a linux platform?

yes, umlikely, but they do exist, but since most of us don't run as root (not saying you do) the effect of such viruses are usually minimal as they (the viruses) wouldn't have access privs to delete anything importante either :D

jsut to add to that, it can as long as ur system isint secured, i do sugest to go tru every imoptant file onur system somday and giv it corect permissions so that only user 0 can delet important files (like the stuff in /bin /sbin /boot and /etc (not realy important but u dont wanna remake this now do you?) and also /dev (carful with this one, make a mistake and if ya havent use mknod b4 i prey for u), other then systems that have bad permisions, u should be jsut fine

i do have a linksys router in line with my cable modem so i feel i have immediate protection. just not from viruses.

done wory, virus these days are defidenly not a problem, its like walking across a lavapit wich lava shark in it on a balance beam, just walk normaly and u wont fall, but if u think ull fall and are not careful or too carule ull fall and burn in shark stomacks,

heres a good exmple, my windows system usualy never got any viruses cuse tehy are all email spear (somthing i dont use, and my family too stupid to know how to open atachments :)), so a firewall that only blocks programs from acessing hte internet and some moderate incoming protection is all i need (along wiht spybot, other tehn that no virus protection)

if a windows system can survive with no virus protection, even a insecure linux system wont get infeced easly (just dont do stupid things), and if a big virus ever did break out that just infects system without anyone doing anything (like asks the kernel to install and run it ) there will be a patch for it in like a hour or so of its descovery i bet

so rest asused viruses are not a problem as long as u dont install anyhitng that you have no clue what its for (if u intsall from source there like a 0% chance that its a virus)