Combine nine different Linux antivirus programs into a single GUI. Whether you're a security-conscious Linux user, or just occasionally need to clean up a Windows system from a safe distance, Penguin Pills aspires to combine all the major Linux scanners into one simple GUI. Update definitions and run a scan for all nine programs quickly and easily.
From AVG to Kaspersky, most major antivirus programs on the market offer some sort of Linux version; we highlighted 4 Linux antivirus programs recently. Installing all of these scanners can give you a lot of options, but every interface is very different while some lack a GUI altogether. Penguin Pills is currently offered on SourceForge, but keep reading to find out what this application can do.
One GUI To Bind Them...
Using this program is pretty straightforward. Fire up the program and you'll see the basic interface:
You can select which AV program you want to use. When you do, the command line variables will change; you'll see this on-screen. There are some options you can select, and what these options are depend on the antivirus program you're running with Penguin Pills. You can click "Test" to ensure a given program is installed and working, and "Update" to keep definitions up to date:
This works the same for every program, which is nice. Want to scan something? Select it with the "Add Folder" button and it will be added to the list:
Once you've got everything set up just the way you like it you're ready to scan. Click the "start scan" button at the bottom-right of the program window and your scan will begin. You can see how things are going via the console. You may be prompted to make a decision; do so using the command line. Most programs leave your options to deleting or repairing a corrupt file, but be sure to read everything to make an informed decision.
Supported Antivirus Software
There are nine programs supported by Penguin Pills; here are the download links for the Linux version of all of them:
Most of these programs are intended for private use, but offer licenses for commercial usage. Installation varies, but in general the ReadMe files provided with the downloads will fill you in.
Does anyone really need 9 different antivirus programs? Not really. It's nice to have access to whatever software you want, though, and Penguin Pills gives you access to most of the major players from an easy interface. Whether you install one or all nine of these programs it's worth having a simple GUI around for updating and running scans.
Conclusion
There are a lot of simple GUIs out there that make command line programs easier to use; few work with as many programs as Penguin Pills. I'm certainly going to keep this on my laptop for scanning external drives and looking at the occasional file.
Can you recommend a better way to scan files on Linux? Let me know in the comments below. Also feel free to let me know how you like Penguin Pills.