| Anti-malware software upgraded for Linux |
May 04, 2009
 AVG Technologies has released a new version of its anti-malware software for Linux desktops. Available in licensed server and free workstation editions (pictured), AVG 8.5 for Linux combines email and file-server protection with streamlined scanning, new antivirus filtering, and improved performance, says the Dutch software firm.
Based in Amsterdam, AVG Technologies boasts 80 million users in 157 countries, and sells AVG software in a variety of versions for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and Symbian. Though malware is certainly not as prevalent on Linux as it is on Windows, Windows malware can still impact Linux systems, the company claims. AVG 8.5 for Linux also provides centralized anti-malware protection for Windows-based workstations that may be attached to Linux-based servers in the network.
AVG Server Edition for Linux protects both email and file servers in a single distribution, says AVG. The software is said to offer a streamlined scanning engine that detects and removes viruses, worms, spyware, trojans, keyloggers, and other malware in a single pass. The server version is said to be able to scan millions of emails a day, making it suitable for large enterprises and ISPs.
The key new feature in AVG 8.5 for Linux is the "RedirFS," or redirecting filesystem, which is said to deliver faster access scanning, along with simplified installation and deployment. This new layer between virtual filesystem switch (VFS) and filesystem drivers is said to provide a framework to allow modification of filesystem calls in the VFS layer. RedirFS is implemented as an out-of-kernel module for Linux 2.6.25, says AVG.
Features listed for AVG 8.5 for Linux include:- Heuristic emulation for improved detection of new and unknown malware types
- New avflt anti-virus filter
- RedirFS-based on-access scanner for improved performance, along with simplified installation and deployment
- Improved system resource handling through shared memory usage
- Increased scalability through support for 64-bit and multi-CPU architecture and new multi-core CPUs
- Fully modular, reducing number of necessary restarts
- Tested to run under Mandrake, Mandriva, Fedora Core, Debian, SUSE, Red Hat, Red Flag, Ubuntu, and other distros using Debian packaging
Stated AVG Technologies CTO Karel Oblu, "We are particularly proud of the RedirFS element in AVG 8.5 for Linux. The original intention was to discover possible ways of implementing an on-access scanner for the Linux kernel as an alternative to the Dazuko project. Since that time, the RedirFS project has evolved to the general framework of Linux 2.6. We have released the RedirFS as open source. This will enable much broader functionality than on-access scanning."
Availability
AVG 8.5 for Linux is available now in free workstation versions, as well as server editions, licensed per connection, with pricing on a tiered basis, says AVG. One- and two-year subscriptions are said to be available. The free workstation version may be downloaded here.
-- Eric Brown
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