Home / ubuntu / Questions / 250290
Accepted
BuZZ-dEE
Asked: 2013-02-02 08:24:09 +0800 CST

How do I scan for viruses with ClamAV?

  • 772

I installed ClamAV via Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) with:

sudo apt-get install clamav

but how can I scan for viruses?

security

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Terminal

    At first you have to update the virus definitions with:

    sudo freshclam

    Then you can scan for viruses.

    clamscan OPTIONS File/Folder

    If necessary start with root permissions: sudo clamscan.

    Examples:

    • To check all files on the computer, displaying the name of each file:

      clamscan -r /

    • To check all files on the computer, but only display infected files and ring a bell when found:

      clamscan -r --bell -i /

    • To scan all files on the computer but only display infected files when found and have this run in the background:

      clamscan -r -i / &

      Note - Display background process's status by running the jobs command.

    • To check files in the all users home directories:

      clamscan -r /home

    • To check files in the USER home directory and move infected files to another folder:

      clamscan -r --move=/home/USER/VIRUS /home/USER

    • To check files in the USER home directory and remove infected files (WARNING: Files are gone.):

      clamscan -r --remove /home/USER

    • To see more options:

      clamscan --help

    See:

    Graphical User Interface: ClamTK Install clamtk

    ClamTk is a frontend for ClamAV. You can install it via Terminal with:

    sudo apt-get install clamtk

    You can get the latest version from Bitbucket as Debian package.

    There is also a PPA (Outdated):

    sudo apt-add-repository ppa:landronimirc/clamtk
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install clamtk

    clamtk screenshot

    Scan Menu: Here you can choose a file, folder or a device for scanning

    clamtk scan menu screenshot

    View Menu:

    clamtk view menu screenshot

    Quarantine Menu:

    clamtk quarantine menu screenshot

    Advanced Menu:

    clamtk advanced menu screenshot

    Help Menu: Here you can check for updates.

    clamtk help menu screenshot

    See:

    • 271

  2. The accepted answer is a great answer, but every time I reach this page, it's a pain to find the command I want from the clutter of information. So just providing a concise answer to the question:

    sudo apt-get install -y clamav; sudo freshclam

    To scan all folders in your computer (except /sys):

    clamscan -r -i --exclude-dir="^/sys" --bell /

    To scan specific folders or files, you have to create a file in which you list out which files/folders you want to scan, and tell clamav where to find that file:

    clamscan -r -i --bell --file-list=/home/nav/ClamScanTheseFolders.txt

    My ClamScanTheseFolders.txt contained:

    /media/nav/someFolder1
/media/nav/someFolder2
/opt/someFolder/somefile
    • 34