• pivot_root@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      9 months ago

      Nobody is immune to it, but it’s a lot less common for sketchy websites to provide malware downloads specifically targeting Linux PCs. The market share is nonexistent, the average user is more technically inclined, and the desktop environment ecosystem is full of variations that make it difficult to develop a one-size-fits-all solution.

      It simply isn’t worth it for most malware creators to focus on Linux desktops. Servers are a different story, but that malware is planted by humans or automated intrustion tools.

      That being said, none of this precludes stupidity. If somebody downloads Oppenheimer-1080p.mkv.exe and opens it in WINE, you can bet your ass that the ransomware malware will do its job just fine.

    • dangblingus@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      9 months ago

      Don’t download shady exes, run ublock origin, force https, use a vpn, and reroute your DNS lookups. It’s super easy to not download viruses and malware.

      • pivot_root@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        15
        ·
        9 months ago

        I agreed with you up to the “use a vpn” part. That’s just wasting money and adding extra steps for the sake of paranoia.

        If you’re using SSL/TLS and not blindly bypassing invalid certificate warnings, you’re not going to have your device or accounts compromised by the hacker boogeyman.

          • pivot_root@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            9
            ·
            edit-2
            9 months ago

            You have a good reason to use a VPN: bypassing region restrictions (or piracy). The people subscribed to a VPN service for security reasons usually don’t*.

            * Excluding those living under a censorship heavy government.

          • psud@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            9 months ago

            They hide your browsing from your ISP (and probably your government)

            They hide your origin and substitute another for web sites.

            I’d say a VPN is only useful to people engaging in crime, or things that look like crime and those buying services that are priced differently around the world

            That provide no protection against things you might click on

            • Chriswild@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              9 months ago

              There are far more uses for a VPN. For instance if I want to access my NAS while outside my home.

              • psud@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                9 months ago

                Sure, but that’s not generally a thing the commercial VPNs offer, and I thought we were talking about commercial VPNs

                • Chriswild@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  9 months ago

                  But some VPNs do provide you a little protection on things you might click on. Ublock and not being a dummy will get you around most of that use but for general users it is more safe.