
Top 10 Linux Antiviruses
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Operating systems are very complex constructions in which there is a place for errors, problems and other undesirable phenomena. Of particular concern are artificially created “phenomena”, which we call viruses, Trojan horses, network worms and spyware. Operating systems of the Linux family are considered to be well protected from such problems, but the likelihood of their occurrence is far from zero. To protect against malware, security experts develop programs that are commonly called antiviruses.
Today we look at the top ten antiviruses for Linux. There are a lot of discussions about the “best antiviruses” on the Web, but we believe that it’s worth not trusting the arguments, but the facts. The programs presented here showed excellent results in independent studies.

, and that is why they fell into this review.
According to research, Sophos can be recognized as one of the best free antivirus software for Linux. It not only supports on-demand scanning, but also provides real-time system protection. There are different versions of this antivirus, in addition to Linux, it can be used on other platforms, for example, on Windows and Android. It is able to detect and remove worms and Trojans. If you like to delve into the command line, it provides an appropriate interface.
Comodo Antivirus can also be considered one of the best. It is well known for its excellent support for various architectures and cross-platform. In addition, he knows how to scan e-mail, such an opportunity in other programs is not common. Comodo for Windows, in addition, contains a firewall module that runs on 32 and 64-bit architectures. Comodo Anti-Virus for Linux supports almost all distributions, therefore it is very widespread among Linux users. Another great feature of Comodo is that this antivirus can also work on a server, for example, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server, OpenSUSE, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.
Perhaps this is the most famous antivirus in the Linux community. ClamAV is an open source project, you can use it for free. It is considered a multidisciplinary antivirus that can deal with Trojans, viruses, and other malicious programs. In addition, it supports scanning standard mail gateways. It is easy to use, it works quickly, since it does not have a graphical interface and is controlled from the terminal.
F-PROT is a well-known antivirus for Linux. It can be used both for domestic needs and in organizations. It supports 32-bit and 64-bit software architectures. He can detect more than 2119958 known viruses, as well as their varieties. With its help, you can fight with trojans and even boot viruses. This antivirus does not require installation, it can perform scheduled scans using cron jobs.
From the name of this antivirus, Chkrootkit , we can assume that it works with root user rights. And in fact - the way it is. This is, frankly, the most successful solution for finding rootkits on Linux.
The program takes up little space and does not require installation. It can be burned to CD or to a USB drive. Chkrootkit package contains many modules that can meet the needs of the most demanding user.
Rootkit Hunter is another great rootkit search tool. The program works from the terminal, is able to recognize rootkits, backdoors and other local exploits, is able to search for malicious code in plain texts, and also perform system checks for the presence of characteristic signs of malware. Rootkit Hunter requires BASH to work, it supports an extensive set of Linux distributions.
ClamTK is an advanced version of ClamAV with a simple graphical interface and designed for a wide range of users. Thanks to the presence of a graphical interface, it is very easy to use this antivirus; it has a subsystem for scanning on demand. The project is written in Perl using the GTK library.
It is possible that BitDefender could be your next antivirus. He does his job well. There is, however, one “but” - the program is not free, a trial version is available for download. However, this does not detract from the merits of this antivirus.
In tests, ESET is at the top of the ranks and is recognized as the best antivirus for Linux. However, the product is paid, you can only try it for free. True, the capabilities of this antivirus allow us to say that it costs the money that is being asked for it. We can say that this is the best antivirus for Linux, there are versions for other OSs as well.
Avast Core Security is the last program that we will consider, however, this does not mean that it is worse than others. Avast Core Security is included in the list of the best antiviruses according to the test results. Antivirus supports many Linux distributions, 32-bit and 64-bit software architectures. In addition to traditional antivirus protection, it contains tools for network security and file server protection. The product is paid, but its trial version looks very worthy even in comparison with free antiviruses, in some ways even winning them.
We tried to tell you about the best antiviruses for Linux here, based on various characteristics of these programs, such as price, availability, reliability and independent test results. You may have noticed that the list was started by free products, among which anyone can find the right Linux antivirus. Next came paid programs that had trial versions that showed very high test results. It is possible that you will like one of them. In general, we can say that any of the antiviruses examined here will help you protect yourself from malware.
Dear readers! What antiviruses for Linux do you use?

, and that is why they fell into this review.
1. Sophos
According to research, Sophos can be recognized as one of the best free antivirus software for Linux. It not only supports on-demand scanning, but also provides real-time system protection. There are different versions of this antivirus, in addition to Linux, it can be used on other platforms, for example, on Windows and Android. It is able to detect and remove worms and Trojans. If you like to delve into the command line, it provides an appropriate interface.
▍ Sophos Features
- Free of charge.
- GUI and command line support.
- Detection and removal of malware.
- Suitable for protection against worms, trojans, viruses and other malware.
- It takes up little space, easy to install and use.
- Cross-platform.
- Allows you to block and eliminate threats not only on Linux.
2. Comodo
Comodo Antivirus can also be considered one of the best. It is well known for its excellent support for various architectures and cross-platform. In addition, he knows how to scan e-mail, such an opportunity in other programs is not common. Comodo for Windows, in addition, contains a firewall module that runs on 32 and 64-bit architectures. Comodo Anti-Virus for Linux supports almost all distributions, therefore it is very widespread among Linux users. Another great feature of Comodo is that this antivirus can also work on a server, for example, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server, OpenSUSE, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.
▍ Features of Comodo
- Free of charge.
- Easy to install and use.
- On-demand scanning, no false positives.
- Real-time protection.
- Spam protection.
- Cross-platform.
- Support for Linux server distributions.
3. ClamAV
Perhaps this is the most famous antivirus in the Linux community. ClamAV is an open source project, you can use it for free. It is considered a multidisciplinary antivirus that can deal with Trojans, viruses, and other malicious programs. In addition, it supports scanning standard mail gateways. It is easy to use, it works quickly, since it does not have a graphical interface and is controlled from the terminal.
▍ ClamAV Features
- Open source.
- Free of charge.
- Cross-platform (Linux, Windows, MacOS).
- It works from the terminal.
- Supports postal services.
- Compatible with POSIX.
- No installation required.
4. F-PROT
F-PROT is a well-known antivirus for Linux. It can be used both for domestic needs and in organizations. It supports 32-bit and 64-bit software architectures. He can detect more than 2119958 known viruses, as well as their varieties. With its help, you can fight with trojans and even boot viruses. This antivirus does not require installation, it can perform scheduled scans using cron jobs.
▍F-PROT Features
- Free of charge.
- No installation required.
- Able to detect more than 21 million threats.
- Supports various software architectures.
- Able to verify external storage media.
- When scanning, it can detect boot viruses, macro viruses, and trojans.
5. Chkrootkit
From the name of this antivirus, Chkrootkit , we can assume that it works with root user rights. And in fact - the way it is. This is, frankly, the most successful solution for finding rootkits on Linux.
The program takes up little space and does not require installation. It can be burned to CD or to a USB drive. Chkrootkit package contains many modules that can meet the needs of the most demanding user.
▍ Features of Chkrootkit
- Rootkit Detection.
- Small size.
- No installation required.
- Easy to use and fast.
- It is launched from the terminal.
- It has rich features.
6. Rootkit Hunter
Rootkit Hunter is another great rootkit search tool. The program works from the terminal, is able to recognize rootkits, backdoors and other local exploits, is able to search for malicious code in plain texts, and also perform system checks for the presence of characteristic signs of malware. Rootkit Hunter requires BASH to work, it supports an extensive set of Linux distributions.
▍ Features of Rootkit Hunter
- Rootkit Detection.
- Support for the command line interface.
- Easy to use and fast.
- Supports scanning text files.
- No installation required.
7. ClamTK
ClamTK is an advanced version of ClamAV with a simple graphical interface and designed for a wide range of users. Thanks to the presence of a graphical interface, it is very easy to use this antivirus; it has a subsystem for scanning on demand. The project is written in Perl using the GTK library.
▍ ClamTK Features
- Open source.
- Free of charge.
- GUI
- Support on-demand scanning.
- No installation required
8. BitDefender
It is possible that BitDefender could be your next antivirus. He does his job well. There is, however, one “but” - the program is not free, a trial version is available for download. However, this does not detract from the merits of this antivirus.
▍ BitDefender Features
- Scan archives.
- Integration with the desktop environment.
- Intuitive graphical interface and the ability to work from the command line.
- Quarantined infected files in a protected directory.
9. ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4
In tests, ESET is at the top of the ranks and is recognized as the best antivirus for Linux. However, the product is paid, you can only try it for free. True, the capabilities of this antivirus allow us to say that it costs the money that is being asked for it. We can say that this is the best antivirus for Linux, there are versions for other OSs as well.
▍ Features of ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4
- The best program for detecting viruses and other malicious programs according to test results.
- The best protection against viruses and spyware.
- Suitable for home users and organizations.
- Support network security features.
- Automatic update.
10. Avast Core Security
Avast Core Security is the last program that we will consider, however, this does not mean that it is worse than others. Avast Core Security is included in the list of the best antiviruses according to the test results. Antivirus supports many Linux distributions, 32-bit and 64-bit software architectures. In addition to traditional antivirus protection, it contains tools for network security and file server protection. The product is paid, but its trial version looks very worthy even in comparison with free antiviruses, in some ways even winning them.
▍ Features of Avast Core Security
- Real-time antivirus protection with the ability to detect spyware.
- On-demand and scheduled scans.
- Network protection.
- Suitable for home users and organizations.
- Regular updates.
Summary
We tried to tell you about the best antiviruses for Linux here, based on various characteristics of these programs, such as price, availability, reliability and independent test results. You may have noticed that the list was started by free products, among which anyone can find the right Linux antivirus. Next came paid programs that had trial versions that showed very high test results. It is possible that you will like one of them. In general, we can say that any of the antiviruses examined here will help you protect yourself from malware.
Dear readers! What antiviruses for Linux do you use?