Linux really discourages malware right off the bat, so you probably don’t NEED to use Linux, especially if you keep your machine updated and don’t run as the root user. If you really want to install an anti-virus program, you can try out ClamAV (www.clamav.net). There aren’t that many updates for it, because there aren’t that many security threats for Linux.

Sean’s note: The bottom line is that you should always be concerned about security, no matter what operating system you’re using, but it’s a lot easier to stay safe if you’re using Linux than it is if you’re using Windows XP. You should use best practices no matter what computer/OS you’re using: don’t open attachments you weren’t expecting, don’t click on links in email, and use general common sense when adding new software to your system (like only installing software retrieved from trusted vendors, rather than installing anything you come across online).

The good news is that you probably don’t need to install any specific anti-virus software for your Ubuntu installation, at least at this point in time. That doesn’t mean Linux is invulnerable, though, so make sure you update the operating system regularly to make sure that any security holes in the operating system are patched up. You can also turn on the built-in firewall for extra security, if you don’t want to simply rely on the NAT firewall found on a broadband router.