The ClamAV command-line virus scanner used on many Linux machines has reached a big and important release: version 1.0.0.
It’s not really the first finished version, of course. The open source version numbering is somewhat of a work of fiction, up there with “Of course I love you” and “The check is in the post”, but even so, this particular step took a while to come. ClamAV, which describes itself as “the open source standard for email gateway analysis software”finally released an official ground zero release, just six months after its 20th anniversary – and what’s more, it’s also a long-term support release.
Original developer Tomasz Kojm released the first version, 0.10, on May 8, 2002. Since it’s open source, since then it’s been ported to almost anything you’re likely to find connected to the Internet. . It is included in the repos of most Linux distributions, as well as FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD. It is also part of Apple’s optional additional macOS Server package. Indeed, it works on most things, from OpenVMS to OS/2.
The project was acquired by SourceFire in 2007, which itself was acquired by Cisco in 2013, and which still sponsors development.
After a few release candidates, the new version follows version 0.105.1 released in July. The release notes don’t contain massive new blockbuster features, although the ability to scan inside encrypted Microsoft Excel .XLS
as long as they use the default password seems useful.
ClamAV is a command-line virus scanner, rather than the type of real-time virus protection program that most Windows users should be familiar with. It’s also important not to confuse it with the various add-on tools that wrap it in a GUI, such as ClamXAV on macOS, which went commercial a few years ago, although it’s worth trying before you buy. .
ClamAV itself only runs when invoked, although it is a sophisticated tool that can look inside all sorts of compressed file formats, perform multi-threaded parallel scans, and can connect to kernel notification APIs allowing it to monitor specific folders for any changes in their contents.
It works great on Windows, but it is no substitute for a proper antivirus program, which can also scan programs as they are loaded into memory, block suspicious activities such as modifying executables, etc. However, that means you can safely run it with any Windows antivirus application, including the built-in one. (Normally a no-no: don’t run two resident virus shields at once, as they can prevent each other from working properly and destabilize your computer. The difference is that a simple to scan as well as a resident anti-virus shield is fine.)
The Github page has versions in .DEB
and .RPM
format, as well as 32-bit and 64-bit Windows and a universal macOS package – and the source code, of course. Other operating systems and distributions will no doubt adopt the new version soon. ®
The ClamAV command-line virus scanner used on many Linux machines has reached a big and important release: version 1.0.0.
It’s not really the first finished version, of course. The open source version numbering is somewhat of a work of fiction, up there with “Of course I love you” and “The check is in the post”, but even so, this particular step took a while to come. ClamAV, which describes itself as “the open source standard for email gateway analysis software”finally released an official ground zero release, just six months after its 20th anniversary – and what’s more, it’s also a long-term support release.
Original developer Tomasz Kojm released the first version, 0.10, on May 8, 2002. Since it’s open source, since then it’s been ported to almost anything you’re likely to find connected to the Internet. . It is included in the repos of most Linux distributions, as well as FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD. It is also part of Apple’s optional additional macOS Server package. Indeed, it works on most things, from OpenVMS to OS/2.
The project was acquired by SourceFire in 2007, which itself was acquired by Cisco in 2013, and which still sponsors development.
After a few release candidates, the new version follows version 0.105.1 released in July. The release notes don’t contain massive new blockbuster features, although the ability to scan inside encrypted Microsoft Excel .XLS
as long as they use the default password seems useful.
ClamAV is a command-line virus scanner, rather than the type of real-time virus protection program that most Windows users should be familiar with. It’s also important not to confuse it with the various add-on tools that wrap it in a GUI, such as ClamXAV on macOS, which went commercial a few years ago, although it’s worth trying before you buy. .
ClamAV itself only runs when invoked, although it is a sophisticated tool that can look inside all sorts of compressed file formats, perform multi-threaded parallel scans, and can connect to kernel notification APIs allowing it to monitor specific folders for any changes in their contents.
It works great on Windows, but it is no substitute for a proper antivirus program, which can also scan programs as they are loaded into memory, block suspicious activities such as modifying executables, etc. However, that means you can safely run it with any Windows antivirus application, including the built-in one. (Normally a no-no: don’t run two resident virus shields at once, as they can prevent each other from working properly and destabilize your computer. The difference is that a simple to scan as well as a resident anti-virus shield is fine.)
The Github page has versions in .DEB
and .RPM
format, as well as 32-bit and 64-bit Windows and a universal macOS package – and the source code, of course. Other operating systems and distributions will no doubt adopt the new version soon. ®