Linux and spyware

mfarley · 08-14-2003, 12:17 PM

Hello all, one of the many resident newbies here. =)

I run a pc help site and 1 problem many of our users have is with controlling spyware. I usually recommend spywareblaster to be pro-active and spybot to be re-active.

I recently moved to Linux and it just dawned on me, do I need to worry about spyware on a linux based os? And if so, what are my options.

Running Mandrake Linux 9.1

Thanks all,
Mike

trickykid · 08-14-2003, 12:23 PM

Most likely not. If your mainly using free software given by the GPL and you suspect it has some sort of spyware on it, just take a peek at the source, which would tell you if it is.

I never worry about Spyware on my machines or have never come across it, unlike my girlfriends XP box in which I just moved a ton from...

Its the great thing about Linux.

mfarley · 08-14-2003, 12:27 PM

I really haven't downloaded any aps and when I do I'll be sure to do a search on it to see if I come up with any spyware before I install.

Do you recommend a particular site to get programs from? The only decent one I have really found is freshmeat.net but I sometimes get lost in there. =)

Thanks,
Mike

Shade · 08-14-2003, 12:48 PM

There are lots of sites, depending on your distrobution.

www.rpmfind.net

www.linuxpackages.org

sourceforge.net

happypenguin.org -- for games :-D

FreshMeat usually ends up being the best though.

Enjoy

-Shade