Hello,
I have a friend who is thinking about switching to linux, but he asked me an interesting question, which I was hoping someone could answer. Let's say we have a usb stick. Let's say that the files inside that usb stick have viruses because they came from a windows machine. Now, I know nothing will happen to the linux machine, but if he transfers those files on the linux machine, formats his usb, puts the files back and puts them on a windows machine that has no antivirus, will it get infected? If so, how can one cleanse those files on linux, I've found something called ClamTK, but I'm not 100% sure what it is.
Hope to hear an answer soon, thanks in advance.

yes, that is possible, but - of course - it depends on the virus itself.
There are cleaners available on linux too, they work quite similar as on windows.
http://www.linux.org/threads/malware...or-linux.4455/

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Clamav only detects infected files but doesn't cleans them.

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Moved: This thread is more suitable in <Linux - Security> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

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It's best to start such discussions by getting rid of biology-terms ... like "virus" or "infected."

A "virus" is something that you, as a biological organism, can "catch" just by walking into the wrong elevator, i.e. after somebody sneezed.

Malware is – a computer program. It's executing on your computer, using your identity and credentials, without your knowledge or consent. And, it's trying to do nasty things. But first, it must run. And then, it must succeed.

The "biology analogy" sold a lot of "anti-virus" (sic) software. It was so lucrative to M$ that they deliberately sold millions of machines with password-free Administrative users and fairly-buried (or, simply did not supply, in "Home Editions") the tools necessary to properly secure the machine. Apple (and Linux) had a field-day with this, and even though those systems are not necessarily that much more secure by-default, the presence ... of anything ... versus the total absence ... of everything ... has made the difference.

Above all, malware seeks crimes of opportunity. They're the "pizza-delivery cat-burglar," walking down the deserted street trying front-doors and finding most of them to be unlocked and unattended. If the door falls open, they waltz in and do their mischief. If not ... basically, if anything opposes them ... they'll go on to the next house. Malware can't do anything that you, yourself, can't do.

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Whether a utility to clean files is run from Linux, Windows, MAC, or some other OS, what it needs to do is detect incorrect content and remove it. Therefore if files have some sort of invasive problem coupled in/with/to them whatever utility you use to clean the files must then be capable of detecting and resolving the problem. Otherwise in the original case, Linux may ignore this part or not be affected by it because it's a script, macro, or executable which can't be run within the Linux OS; but it likely will not sanitize the file so that it could then be safely used in Windows.

I submit that whatever viruses, malware, or other infections you have, you really need an effective detect and clean utility. I would add that IMHO getting a good utility that runs under Linux may be desired because the operating environment itself stands to be free of intrusive programs. That seems to be the biggest virus/malware problem is that they are so prolific that under Windows you see these massive problems so you get/download a cleaner, many of which may also be malware, and either case you run it from within Windows which may already be affected by malware/viruses.

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