Checking files inubuntu virtualbox before sending to host

[sunshineh]

Hi,
how can I check pdf- oder exe-Files in my virtualbox before sending it to my windows host system?
I am afraid because the files could have a virus or trojan...

[BillG]

The same way that you would check them on any other machine. Don't you have any protection at all in the vm?

[Perryg]

Actually a virus scanner and Linux don't really go together. That being said there is bitdefender for Linux that you can install if you want, but any good virus software in the Windows host will also do as much good since your Linux box will more than likely never become infected ( unless you do something stupid like running as root ).

[mpack]

PDFs are not executables, so I don't know of any way in which they could carry viruses.

You want to check Windows executables inside an Ubuntu guest? That seems like an odd thing to want to do. Obviously WIndows virius checkers are not designed to run in Linux. More typical would be to create a sacrificial Windows VM (e.g. a clone) to run suspect Windows software inside. If it turns out to be malware, you can delete the VM.

On the Windows host you can use your host antivirus - I use an offline scanner such as ClamWin - to verify any executable before you run it.

In general, the best rule IMHO is: don't leave executable files in shared folders.