Kaspersky, the popular Russian cybersecurity and anti-virus company, has released a new virus removal tool that scans the Linux platform for known cyber threats for free.
The security firm notes that the myth that Linux is mostly immune to cyber threats doesn’t hold true anymore, as modern-day cybercriminals have started targeting Linux-based operating systems.
Also, companies rarely invest money in protecting machines running this operating system.
The Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool (KVRT) is an app that scans computers running a Linux-based operating system and removes existing infections.
It can detect malware, adware, and legitimate programs that can be used for attacks.
However, KVRT for Linux cannot actively monitor incoming attacks on the computer or server in real-time.
Since KVRT for Linux doesn’t have an automated antivirus database updating mechanism, users will have to download a fresh version of the program each time, as the hosted package is updated several times a day.
“Our application can scan system memory, startup objects, boot sectors, and all files in the operating system for known malware. It scans files of all formats — including archived ones,” wrote Kaspersky in the blog post.
Further, as the tool is a portable app that doesn’t require installation, it can be helpful in scanning multiple PCs using a USB drive. The app can be run via a graphical interface or via a command line, and it can also be run only manually.
KVRT for Linux can be used on a computer that satisfies the following requirements:
Minimum Hardware Requirements
- Hard drive: 1 GB of free space
- CPU: Intel Pentium 1 GHz or higher
- RAM: 1 GB
- Internet connection
Minimum Software Requirements
The application supports the following 64-bit operating systems for the x86_64 architecture:
- AlmaLinux OS 8 or later
- AlterOS 7.5 or later
- Astra Linux Common Edition 2.12 or later
- CentOS 6.7 or later
- Debian GNU/Linux 10.0 or later
- EulerOS 2.0 or later
- Linux Mint 19.2 or later
- openSUSE Leap 15.0 or later
- Oracle Linux 7.3 or later
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.7 or later
- Rocky Linux 8.5 or later
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12.5 or later
- Ubuntu 12.04 or later
- Uncom OS Home / Business / Education / Enterprise 2.2 or later
- ALT Linux Workstation / Workstation K / Server / Education 8 or later
- ROSA Linux Workstation / Server 12 or later
- RED OS 7.3 and later
To learn more about how to launch the application and provide it with the necessary permissions, you can visit Kaspersky’s technical support website.
