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ClamAV

ClamAV is an open source anti-virus toolkit for scanning files and mail gateways.

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ClamAV is an open source anti-virus toolkit for scanning files and mail gateways. It provides a multi-threaded daemon, a command-line scanner, and signature update utilities for server-side malware detection. It suits homelab and Linux users who need scheduled or on-demand scanning without a proprietary client.

Platform availability

Available on 3 of 6 install platforms

Also on Docker Hub and GitHub

Health score

79/100 Good

Maintained
99last commit 43 days ago
Popular
777,291 GitHub stars
Easy to install
703 install platforms, install notes, setup guide, Docker image
Light to run
403 GB minimum RAM, runs on ARM
How is this calculated?

A 0-100 score computed nightly from four factors: maintained (40%: recent commits and steady activity), popular (25%: GitHub stars, log scale), easy to install (20%: platforms, install notes, setup guides, Docker image) and light to run (15%: minimum RAM, ARM support). Factors without data are left out and the rest are rescaled.

Availability: platform listings confirmed today, links checked 11 days ago

No GitHub repository data collected yet.

Resources & Compatibility

Minimum requirements: 3 GB RAM. ARM (e.g. Raspberry Pi) is supported.

Checked 10 days ago - source: Docker Hub image tags and published docs

First-install notes

  • Make active Clam AntiVirus config files Copy the sample freshclam.conf and clamd.conf files to real names so Clam AntiVirus has working settings. If you skip this, the daemon and signature updater may fail or run with wrong defaults. source
  • Install the Clam AntiVirus daemon service Install the Clam AntiVirus daemon service after setup so background scanning keeps running across restarts. If you skip it, Clam AntiVirus will not run automatically when you reboot. source
  • Use Docker for a first look For a first container test, run the Clam AntiVirus Docker container with an interactive terminal and the cleanup flag. If you skip this, you may miss startup errors and leave test containers behind. source

Fetched 10 days ago - each note links to its source

Alternatives (12)

  • AVG AntiVirus - AVG AntiVirus Free provides basic antivirus and antispyware protection for home users.
  • Avast Free Antivirus - Protects devices from viruses and malware, offers real-time threat detection, home network scanning, password management, secure browsing,…
  • Avira Antivirus - Provides real-time malware, ransomware, and spyware protection with web safety, cloud-based updates, VPN, system optimization, and advanced…
  • Bitdefender Antivirus - Free antivirus with real-time protection, minimal resource usage, Game mode optimization, AI threat detection, and easy setup with customer…
  • ClamWin - ClamWin is a free, open-source antivirus software for Microsoft Windows, using the ClamAV engine.
  • Comodo Internet Security - Comodo Internet Security is a free, very voluminous and multi-layered security application that keeps hackers out and personal information…
  • ESET NOD32 Antivirus - A lightweight, AI-powered antivirus protecting against viruses, ransomware, and phishing while maintaining speed.
  • Kaspersky AntiVirus - Kaspersky AntiVirus offers protection from a range of IT threats and provides the basic tools needed to keep your PC secure.
  • Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - Advanced AI-driven protection software that offers real-time defense against new and known threats using machine learning for superior thre…
  • Microsoft Defender - Windows Security (known as Windows Defender Antivirus before Windows 10 May 2020 Update, Windows Defender before Windows 10 Creators Update…
  • Spybot - Search & Destroy - Detects and removes spyware, malware, adware, browser hijackers, and tracking cookies with real-time protection and manual or scheduled sca…
  • security - SanDisk Security is a simple tool used to protect the files on your SanDisk portable drive.

Checked 7 days ago - source: AlternativeTo

Common questions

How much RAM should I allocate for a ClamAV Docker container?

Plan for at least 3 GiB of RAM, with 4 GiB preferred. ClamAV uses over 1.2 GiB just to load signatures, and concurrent reloading can temporarily use about twice as much RAM. If the container is short on RAM, the OS or Docker may kill the clamd process.

What do I need to do with the sample ClamAV configuration files?

Copy the sample freshclam.conf and clamd.conf files to their real names so ClamAV has working settings. If you skip this, the daemon and signature updater may fail or run with wrong defaults.

Why is ClamAV not running automatically after a reboot?

Install the Clam AntiVirus daemon service after setup so background scanning keeps running across restarts. If you skip it, ClamAV will not run automatically when you reboot.

Does ClamAV support real-time file scanning?

Real-time protection is available only on Linux. The ClamOnAcc client for the ClamD scanning daemon provides on-access scanning and can optionally block file access until a file has been scanned.

How can I resolve common ClamAV problems?

Most common issues are resolved by updating ClamAV to the latest known version. If you compiled ClamAV from source, get the latest source files and recompile it.

Answers sourced from docs.clamav.net, docs.clamav.net, docs.clamav.net, docs.clamav.net, www.securiteinfo.com

Community

Collected 5 days ago - public community threads

Install guides