And I'm hoping we can make this topic not about whether virus scanners are needed or not Defence in depth makes sense to me and I do share files with Windows systems.
Avast!
Downloaded the deb file from from http://www.avast.com/linux-home-edition. After installation visited http://www.avast.com/i_kat_207.php?lang=ENG for the mandatory (but free) registration for a 1 year license. After receiving the license key by email, ran avast from the terminal as from the GUI it wouldn't open. Entered the license key.
Running avast then fails with the following error:
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/usr/bin/avast: 178: /usr/bin/avast: /usr/lib/avast4workstation/bin/avast: not found
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/usr/bin/avastgui: 178: /usr/bin/avastgui: /usr/lib/avast4workstation/bin/avastgui: not found
Conclusion: fail
AVG
Downloaded the deb file from from http://free.avg.com/download.tpl-stdfull.prd-alf. It fails to install with the following error:
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Selecting previously unselected package avg2012flx.
(Reading database ... 152223 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking avg2012flx (from .../avg2012flx-r1793-a5062.i386.deb) ...
Setting up avg2012flx (2012.1793) ...
Installing 'avgd' service initscripts...
Registering 'avgd' service to runlevels...
Adding system startup for /etc/init.d/avgd ...
/etc/rc0.d/K20avgd -> ../init.d/avgd
/etc/rc1.d/K20avgd -> ../init.d/avgd
/etc/rc6.d/K20avgd -> ../init.d/avgd
/etc/rc2.d/S20avgd -> ../init.d/avgd
/etc/rc3.d/S20avgd -> ../init.d/avgd
/etc/rc4.d/S20avgd -> ../init.d/avgd
/etc/rc5.d/S20avgd -> ../init.d/avgd
Registering with license: LUWKJ-KBRC4-AABPT-QNJNP-DO9QI-M4FKI
/usr/bin/avgctl: 17: exec: /opt/avg/av/bin/avgctl: not found
dpkg: error processing avg2012flx (--install):
subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 127
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
avg2012flx
Avira
Downloaded the "Avira Free Unix/Linux" from http://www.avira.com/en/download/produc ... -antivirus. Extracted the files and ran "sudo ./install" as given in the instructions. It fails to install with the following error:
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It is not possible to install AVIRA AntiVir Workstation (UNIX), because your system platform is not supported.
BitDefender
While various websites are sharing you can download a free edition of BitDefender at http://www.bitdefender.com/business/ant ... nices.html, I could not find a free edition. Only a trial edition.
Conclusion: no longer free
ClamAV
Can easily be installed with a front-end by installing clamtk, as in:
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sudo apt-get install clamtk
F-Prot
A free edition of F-Prot can be downloaded at http://www.f-prot.com/download/home_use ... linux.html. But I couldn't find a 64 bit edition, only a 32 bit editon.
Conclusion: no support for 64 bit systems
Linux Malware Detect (LMD)
LMD is a malware scanner for Linux for the threats faced in shared hosted environments. A tarball can be downloaded from http://www.rfxn.com/projects/linux-malware-detect/, and is easily installed.
Conclusions: while it works, it isn't really meant for desktop use. If you run Linux in a shared hosted environment it is certainly something to explore! (If you have a Linux server hosted by somebody else, and unless you know the difference, assume it is in a shared environment.)