Should I use an anti-virus program on my Ubuntu Linux computer?

Q I have seen the Ubuntu operating system mentioned in Computeractive. I am keen to try out Linux and the Ubuntu version seems like the one to install but I am concerned about viruses. Should I be?
John Harris

A It would be easy to repeat the myth that Linux is safe from viruses but the truth is, it is not. In fact, all operating systems on all devices - from PCs to Macs and smartphones - are to a greater or lesser extent vulnerable to infection by viruses and malicious software.

That said, it would be fair to say that Linux (and for that matter Mac OS and the various operating systems that run today's smartphones) tends to attract fewer malicious software-authors.

There are a variety of reasons for this, from better built-in security to fewer numbers of users than Windows making these systems a less-attractive target for virus writers, but certainly there are far fewer viruses that are designed to attack users of the Linux/Ubuntu operating system.

However, fewer does not equate to none. As such, if the PC on which you are intending to install Ubuntu contains important files and folders then it makes sense to protect against the Linux-targeted viruses that do exist.

Fortunately, there are quite a few free Linux-based anti-virus tools to choose from. You will find a full list of anti-virus tools for Linux in the Help section of the Ubuntu website.