You may have heard throughout the years that Linux is much more secure than other operating systems available. However, have you ever wondered why I don't need a firewall or antivirus in Linux in the first place? Additionally, you may have heard that a firewall protects your computer in computer class or at school. While this is true, Linux does not require a firewall. You needn't worry, though, because this page contains the solutions to these problems.
A firewall is not required for Linux.
I read in class that a firewall would protect your computer from viruses, but that is only partially accurate.
What I mean by a firewall is that it acts as a filter, deciding only which network packages are allowed to enter and which ones should be removed from your computer. Incoming connections are either permitted or prohibited via the firewall, which is its primary function. Even if you enable the firewall in your Windows program, you will see that it has incoming and outgoing connections, and that only a small percentage of outgoing connections are screened. In that instance, since a firewall is unneeded, the majority of Linux users do not require one.
When running server applications on your computer, that's when you actually need a firewall installed. It might be a web server, email server, game server, or another type. At these times, the firewall limits incoming connections to particular ports in order to ensure that they can only communicate with the right server program on your system.
Therefore, the solution is straightforward—a firewall is not at all necessary if you do not run any server applications on your machine. It indicates that there are no incoming connections, which frees it from having to monitor incoming connections to certain ports because nobody is using them.
Why Does Linux Not Need Antivirus Software?
1) Missing malware
Let me first make it obvious who uses Linux. People who work in the IT industry and largely use commonplace technologies to address current problems Simply said, those who are interested in producing malware or in abusing the systems of others do not come to Linux. They are looking for operating systems that are primarily used by regular people in daily life, such as Windows, Chrome OS, macOS, and others.
It's not as though Linux didn't already have any malware; it does. Even Linux is not among the operating systems that are completely free of malware. As a result, there is currently no operating system that is completely free of malware.
2) Installing software on Linux is safer
The same principles apply to installing applications in macOS as they do in Windows, except that DMG installers are used instead of EXE and MSI, which ultimately requires system level access to make the required installation adjustments. In actuality, this is one of the ways malware infections start off.
Therefore, under Linux you do not install your desired application using the EXE, MSI, or DMG formats; rather, you install it using packages like APT and YAM. In addition, you can get your programs through reputable sites and repositories like GitHub. Unless you get the software yourself from torrents or other dubious sources, in which case you may not be entirely confident.
3) Linux automatically protects you against malware
You might claim that I am a moron since I don't understand how an operating system can defend itself against malware on its own. The framework that Linux was built on is the reason why the answer is yes, as it automatically safeguards itself against infection.
First of all, due to the way Linux is designed, malware has a very difficult time gaining root access and, even if it does, you won't notice any significant system harm. Because Linux has a distinct permission system than other operating systems, a virus or Trojan won't be able to affect your system.
Every file in Linux has three permissions.
- File Owner: The file owner can choose what to do with the file.
- File Owner Group: The file owner group has the authority to determine how to use the file.
- What other people can do with this file.
If a virus or a Trojan horse has infiltrated your system, it is obvious that it will only affect your local account and run under that one. Simply put, the Trojan, malware, or virus is trapped and contained since local user accounts do not have much access to the systemwide or root files. Unless you don't execute the virus in your local account using sudo.
4) Is Linux antivirus software actually effective?
Let me ask you a question: Has your machine ever been protected by an antivirus program against a new virus? The obvious answer is no. You can always claim that antivirus software is perpetually out of date and cannot shield you from threats and infections that cannot be seen. It can only be beneficial to the already widely available viruses that system hackers have already employed.
This begs the question of whether antivirus software should ever be used with Linux in the first place, to which the obvious answer is no. Not at all. You can only install apps using APT and yam since Linux has its own safeguards. Unless you use platforms and repositories that you don't trust to execute or obtain the necessary program.
5) Good Security Practices
Unfortunately, some of the users who have been targeted are those who have obtained their desired content via shady websites, torrent websites, and unreliable sources. Simply said, you need to get into the habit of not using these resources.
There are other situations as well that you should remember and practice.
- Avoid using out-of-date plugins and extensions.
- cross-platform programs that really receive updates
- Hidden malware files on USB flash drives are simple to introduce into your system.
- Malware that uses PDF files has also impacted people's systems.
- Never click on any links you receive in emails or other correspondence.
In fact, if you avoid these things and make them a habit, you won't even need antivirus software.
Conclusions
Despite all the justifications, I believe installing antivirus on your computer is still a smart choice. As I mentioned earlier, antivirus software primarily guards your computer against well-known malware and viruses that are sold commercially. The antivirus program will readily safeguard your PC if someone uses those tactics to assault it. What could possibly go wrong? Even if your machine is not infected, there is absolutely nothing to lose. That is my viewpoint to you in any case.