🛡 How to Install Antivirus on VPS: Step-by-Step Guide
Antivirus protection is an essential layer of VPS security. Even if you use strong passwords, firewalls, and SSH keys, malware can still enter via outdated scripts, vulnerable applications, or unverified uploads. In this guide, we’ll walk you through installing and configuring antivirus solutions to enhance server security.
🔍 Why Install Antivirus on VPS?
- 🛡 Protection from viruses, trojans, spyware, and rootkits
- 📁 Scans uploaded and generated files
- 📨 Checks email attachments and suspicious scripts
- 🚨 Alerts and auto-removal when threats are detected
- 🧠 Monitors system activity and identifies vulnerabilities
📦 Popular Antivirus Tools for VPS
The most widely used antivirus options for Linux servers include:
- ClamAV — free open-source antivirus scanner
- Maldet (Linux Malware Detect) — designed for malware detection on servers
- Rkhunter — tool to detect rootkits and backdoors
- Chkrootkit — lightweight rootkit scanner
🛠 Installing ClamAV
sudo apt update && sudo apt install clamav clamav-daemon -y
Update virus definitions:
sudo freshclam
Run a scan:
sudo clamscan -r /var/www
⚙ Installing Maldet
wget http://www.rfxn.com/downloads/maldetect-current.tar.gz
tar -xzf maldetect-current.tar.gz
cd maldetect-*
sudo ./install.sh
Scan a directory:
sudo maldet -a /home
📋 Useful Commands
- 🔁 Restart ClamAV:
sudo systemctl restart clamav-freshclam clamav-daemon - 📊 View Maldet logs:
/usr/local/maldetect/event_log - 🧪 Test with EICAR file:
curl -o testfile.txt https://www.eicar.org/download/eicar.com.txt
👍 Bit.Hosting Recommendations
- 🔁 Schedule regular scans manually or via cron
- 📩 Check uploads, website folders, and mail directories
- 🔐 Combine antivirus with a firewall and Fail2Ban
- 🛠 Keep virus signature databases up to date
- 🚫 Never disable antivirus unless absolutely necessary
If you need help installing antivirus on your VPS or want to boost security — contact Bit.Hosting support. We’ll configure it for you! 🔐