Now that we have the main components of ClamAV installed, we can verify the correct operation of each component.
clamscan
—the command line scannerclamd
—the ClamAV daemonfreshclam
—virus definitions updater
For these tests, we are going to need a virus or at least a non-destructive file that looks like a virus.
A number of antivirus researchers have already worked together to produce a file that their (and many other) products detect as if it were a virus. Agreeing on one file for such purposes simplifies matters for users.
This test file is known as the EICAR (Europeanx Institute for Computer Anti-virus Research) standard antivirus test file. The file itself is not a virus, it does not contain any program code at all, and is therefore safe to pass on to other people. However, most antivirus products will react to the file as though it really is a virus, which can make it a rather tricky file to manipulate or send via e-mail if you or the recipient...