CrunchBang Linux

dionysus

New Member

Registered: 2009-11-07

Posts: 5

[SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

OK having M$ ways etched into my soul, and being a complete 100% n00b in this world (been using for 2 days now) I need some advice.  I'm running #! 09.04.01, behind a ZyXEL router with a cable connection.  I dont use any p2p, and sign in under my user name not root.
Here we go!

1 Do I need to worry about antivirus?
2 Do I need to worry about spyware/malware
3 Thoughts on a firewall.

I am almost positive that I dont need 1 or 2 (isnt this one of the main reasons to switch & the cost is right) but I have seen references  to Gufw firewall.  I am looking for honest responses and thoughts.
Thanks to all

Last edited by dionysus (2009-11-10 01:57:39)

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Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

anonymous

The Mystery Member

From: Arch Linux Forums

Registered: 2008-11-29

Posts: 9,418

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

1 and 2: no

3. Supposedly as long as you have no server processes running you don't need a firewall. However since its easy to setup (gufw) I do enable it. Also if your router has a firewall I would just use that.

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omns

#! wanderer

From: ~/

Registered: 2008-11-25

Posts: 5,131

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

1. no
2. no
3. Your router should have its own firewall but if your worried Gufw is a nice solution.

iggykoopa

Script Master

Registered: 2008-12-13

Posts: 1,486

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

For #2 not really, but there are still some tracking cookies and flash cookies that might affect you if your worried about that sort of thing. If you are worried about them heres a post on flash cookies http://www.ghacks.net/2008/07/30/delete-flash-cookies/ and here's one on regular cookies http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=618824 .

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I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.

Blitz

#! Member

From: Athens , Greece

Registered: 2009-10-12

Posts: 52

Website

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

1. no
2. no
3. Your router should have its own firewall but if your worried Gufw is a nice solution.

+ 1

Although i never use a firewall mostly because my LinkSys router has pretty much everything i need

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Zen:Core

#! CrunchBanger

From: Bleeding Kansas

Registered: 2009-11-09

Posts: 195

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

I've never used any of the above under linux and I've never had any problems, though my router has a built in firewall. I have tried firestarter, but it never became a daily use thing. I always just set firefox up to delete the majority of my browsing data, cookies, saved passwords and all that (but to ask me first upon closing it). Some other browsers will delete your personal info also, but they aren't as automated as firefox.

On a side note. Both my parents and a friend of mine are set up with Ubuntu and both of them have somehow gotten windows .exe files dumped onto there desktop. The way the .exe's were named made them look as if they went somewhere online and got a virus or malware, but since they're using linux those files couldn't auto execute and grab hold to anything and cause damage. I simply deleted those files and nothing bad ever came of it.

Linux has been very secure for me. Windows etched a lot of things into a lot of peoples souls. You'll get used to the "Huh, okay that works" versus the "Huh, why won't this work". We all did at one point.

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|My Band: 12 Honest Men|

dionysus

New Member

Registered: 2009-11-07

Posts: 5

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

Again you guys/girls ROCK.  You have reassured me as to why I am making a go of #! BTW it is nice and calm in here.:)

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Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

omns

#! wanderer

From: ~/

Registered: 2008-11-25

Posts: 5,131

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

BTW it is nice and calm in here.:)

We aim to please

zengrapefruit

#! Junkie

Registered: 2009-12-11

Posts: 280

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

I know the thread's a few months old but my comment/question is appropriate, I think.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Linux come with a firewall as default (iptables)?

GUFW, Firestarter, etc are just graphical interfaces to alter the settings of the in-built firewall.

That said, my question relates to GUFW. I installed it and the first thing I had to do was click the button marked "Enable firewall". Can someone please explain this, preferably with an answer that reassures me that my firewall has been active all along? :S

iggykoopa

Script Master

Registered: 2008-12-13

Posts: 1,486

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

As far as I know the firewall is disabled by default in most linux distributions, including #!.

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I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.

anonymous

The Mystery Member

From: Arch Linux Forums

Registered: 2008-11-29

Posts: 9,418

Re: [SOLVED]Advice needed from all #! ers

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Linux come with a firewall as default (iptables)?

GUFW, Firestarter, etc are just graphical interfaces to alter the settings of the in-built firewall.

Both correct

That said, my question relates to GUFW. I installed it and the first thing I had to do was click the button marked "Enable firewall". Can someone please explain this, preferably with an answer that reassures me that my firewall has been active all along? :S

Ubuntu includes iptables but it allows all traffic by default. When you enable ufw it changes the iptables rules.

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