Clam antivirus is different. For a start it is AV that’s open source, free and available for a lot of platforms.
These include:
Linux (multiple variants)
Solaris
BeOS
Windows
OS X
The only problem I can see for people moving across to Clam antivirus is the dire website and – if you are not used to it – its baffling terminology. So here’s a quick guide for those trying to navigate the site or those unused to open source terminology:
Go to [www.clamav.net/], select binary packages and ports [www.clamav.net/binary.html#pagestart] from the download section. Why the binary? A ‘binary’ refers to the installable version of the application – as opposed to a non-installable version which in this case is the source code.
So now you are on the download page, scroll down and select the version for your computer. As the majority of visitors here run Windows XP – scroll down to Windows, see the huge number of links and panic, not knowing what the hell to do. One of the links redirects you to another website [www.clamwin.net/], after going there select download from the left side menu [www.clamwin.net/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=25] and then select download [prdownloads.sourceforge.net/clamwin/clamwin-0.86-setup.exe?download] for Windows XP.
Convoluted and unnecessary, it is bad web design like this that should have been killed off in 1996. If I remember (hint to self) I’ll contact the Clam team and nag them into improving Windows access to Clam antivirus for non-technical users.
Just under half of my visitors are on OS X, and as Apple has killed off Virex for OS X people are looking for alternatives. Alternatives that don’t include Norton, in fact don’t ever install Norton unless you want God to kill kittens.
The best commercial product for OS X is Sophos [www.sophos.com], but unless you’re an enterprise user require an official support channel why use a commercial product. I also recommend Sophos for commercial users on Windows. You can download Clam antivirus for OS X from [www.markallan.co.uk/clamXav]. Although it is another redirect it is easier than trying to get the Windows version. Select download page from the left side menu and then select [www.markallan.co.uk/clamXav/clamXav_0.9.0f.dmg] for OS X Panther and Tiger. Then update the engine with this little download and you’re away [www.markallan.co.uk/clamXav/engineFixup_v2.zip].
I won’t run into configuring Clam, unless anyone asks for it specifically. I’m not affiliated with Clam antivirus, so if you moan at me about the dire website I will have to point at you, laugh, and set the dogs lose on you. Dogs that spit Bees.
20 responses so far ↓
1 Santino Rizzo // Jun 22, 2005 at 3:42 PM
Apple has not “killed off” Virex. Virex is produced by Network Associates and is still very much in production. Apple just stopped including it with .mac accounts. Currently, Virex 7.5 and 7.6 do not work with 10.4, but 7.2 does, and 7.7 will.
2 Jeffsters // Jun 22, 2005 at 3:44 PM
Apple will do as they have always done…”Appleize” it.
3 Larry // Jun 22, 2005 at 4:01 PM
With regard to 7.2 working with 10.4 and 7.7 working in the future, I’d say that requires a very generous definition of “work” since I’ve never seen a Virex on OS X that had any redeeming social value. Virex was a great product when it was first started back in the early 90’s, but went steadily downhill as it passed from hand to hand and reached its nadir when it got to NAI (not an unusual occurence).
4 win39 // Jun 22, 2005 at 4:34 PM
Let me see, a company that does a web site so badly it needs directions to navigate, recommended by someone who is not bothered when his inaccurate statements about Apple and Virex are pointed out. That is really something I want to download.
5 rmassey77 // Jun 22, 2005 at 4:39 PM
The biggest problem with ClamAV is the lack of a real time scanning engine. Unless I am wrong about this you have to manually start a scan. If it had proactive features I think it could strike fear into the big AV companies.
6 Will Parker // Jun 22, 2005 at 4:59 PM
…or you could simply do the following:
   go to VersionTracker.com
   select your OS
     (Win or Mac, Linux folk can follow the convoluted path as usual)
   type ‘ClamAV’ into the search field
   Download.
The best response to organizations that haven’t got the sense to provide a usable web site is to get their products and services by any legal means other than visiting their web site
7 Jackdaw // Jun 22, 2005 at 5:45 PM
Apple has killed off Virex, ceasing to include it in .Mac is the end as far as ‘popular’ use of Virex is concerned. Virex has always been dire on OS X, personally I think OS X is better off without it as the alternatives beat the hell out of Virex. NAI do not create good products, haven’t for a very long time.
As for the hilarious comment by ‘win39′, the student from VA USA - this is a blog. You expect comment responses, quick or otherwise? Seriously? You’re new the Internets, eh. The any key is over there.
As far as I know Clam isn’t incorporated, it’s just an open source project, OSS is not famed for its accessability; I hope like hell they improve there website as it is insanely bad.
Thanks Will Parker, it is easier through VersionTracker, but that isn’t always up to date - though running a Clam antivirus update after install would be reccommended anyway.
8 Santino Rizzo // Jun 22, 2005 at 6:51 PM
“Apple has killed off Virex, ceasing to include it in .Mac is the end as far as ‘popular’ use of Virex is concerned.”
For home users maybe, but Virex was around long before Apple started bundling it with .mac. NAI makes money on enterprise contracts and that’s where Virex is used. Good luck convincing an IT depratment to dump Virex, which is probably included in their Windows PC VirusScan licensing as an afterthought, and take on supporting an open-source project. Agreed that Virex is not very good, but it keeps the IT suits happy.
9 Jackdaw // Jun 22, 2005 at 7:42 PM
Santino, thanks but above I reccommend Sophos for OS X enterprise users, not Clam.
Virex isn’t included for free in licensing deals for other products by NAI.
Windows enterprise wide deployments use products like ePO to manage/deploy/update.
10 Johnathan // Jun 22, 2005 at 8:33 PM
FWIW, NAI/McAfee (whatever the manufacturers of Virex call themselves at the moment) has indicated that ePO support is forthcoming in Mac OS X Virex. There was a beta test of ePO support not long ago. I am not sure if it’s out yet though, as I don’t run an enterprise.
Also, I do agree that even if it supports ePO, Virex probably still needs to be licensed separately. I think it would be silly, though, if they didn’t try to sell it in combination with with their Windows products, to provide a complete virus solution to the end user.
I had already set up my friends with ClamAV as they didn’t want to pay for AV on the Mac, and IMO they shouldn’t have to. So I guess when I switch to 10.4, I will also switch to ClamAV myself. “Eating my own dog food” should help, because when friends have had the occasional question about ClamAV, I have not been able to immediately answer them because I just didn’t know the product that well.
11 Rich // Jun 23, 2005 at 2:08 AM
Personally I always ran with JpK until GV came around - ultimately thouigh its down to your personal preference and how well it operates to what I like to think are fairly evolved standards of use, which the industry as a whole appreciate just as the individual user must.
FWIW or GV/Longfire has always been a tough choice speaking personally, but ultimately it comes down to how your GUI is jigged in terms of CIA, RSPV and RSPCA.
Of course thats just my opinion, I’d welcome any comments from those who use it as a matter of everyday course!
12 Jackdaw // Jun 23, 2005 at 12:08 PM
Giggle, you little tinker Rich.
13 Mitch // Aug 4, 2005 at 9:29 AM
The real difference what makes a good Anti Virus product is how good and frequently the Software vendor is making new virus definitions available.
A “great” Anti Virus product having old definitions or not having enough virus signatures is of no use.
And thats where established security vendors like McAfee/Symantec etc stand out in comparison to the small Open source projects.
Think about it!!
14 Michael // Aug 4, 2005 at 9:39 AM
That’s right. I have used a lot of free antivirus softwares on windows but was never satisfied. They fail to detect new viruses . I believe purchasing a good antivirus from established security vendors like McAfee/Symantec pays you in long run.
15 Jackdaw // Aug 4, 2005 at 10:04 AM
I just recieved comment SPAM from ‘two’ users (same IP: 67.97.80.1) promoting McAfee/Symantec.
I wonder how this is connected to McAfee/Symantec …
If you have to install commercial antivirus use Sophos. Avoid Norton’s McAfee and Symantec like the plague.
16 Creation Robot » Comment SPAM promoting McAfee and Symantec // Aug 4, 2005 at 10:25 AM
[...] Open Source antivirus is in its infancy, but it deserves to be fed and petted - allowing it to grow. This is why I promoted Clam AV [www.creationrobot.com/?p=871] and will continue to promote them, despite the immaturity of the solution. [...]
17 Anonymous // Aug 11, 2005 at 12:07 PM
i really loved your site and found it to be very friendly and helpfull.
18 Anonymous // Sep 7, 2005 at 6:43 PM
Whoa….check out this page…hmmm, and I thought this was only for the kids
19 Mr Goose // Mar 4, 2006 at 8:31 PM
Those critical of ClamAV site should remember this is a non profit making project. Also, they are making all the source code available freely to others. They are _not_ sellng you anything. They are merely making their hard work available to you at no charge. So please give them a break!
Moreover, other developers are starting to take advantage of this open source model. One manifestation is ClamWin which I think is one of the nicest, simplest AVs for Windows ever. OK it doesn’t do real time (though it does monitor email). But it doesn’t hog your machines resources either. http://www.clamwin.com/
And it seems to detect viruses every bit as well as either Norton or Sophos.
We just dumped Sophos in favour of ClamWin. Sophos still hasn’t fixed a really annoying bug in their auto update system. It rendomly prevents laptops talking via ethernet when they are not connected to our main building server. This bug requires users manually to stop various Sophos processes in order to contunue using the internet via ethernet (e.g. via a home broadband router).
The combination of Sophos’s ineptitude and Clam’s public spiritedness has saved us over 300 quid a year in subscription fees. It’s also saved me lots of ear-ache from disgruntled users.
In any event, if you go to the ClamAV site I think you’ll find it has been tidied up quite a bit. http://www.clamav.net/
Best wishes.Mr G.
20 .Mac - A new, free, antivirus for Mac OSX - Mac-Forums.com // May 7, 2007 at 6:02 PM
[...] support forums but I have not installed the program. Just though a few here may be interested. http://www.creationrobot.com/?p=871 edit: Just saw this too. Virex 7.6 Dunno if this works with Tiger, tho. [...]
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