Linux and spyware
 

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

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... :rolleyes:

Its the great thing about Linux. :)

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

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