Half a year after its previous 1.3 release, ClamAV, a mainstay in the open-source antivirus world developed by Cisco Talos, a part of Cisco Systems Inc., has released its latest version, 1.4, along with an updated bytecode compiler.
For those unfamiliar, it is an antivirus engine designed to detect trojans, viruses, malware, and other malicious threats, often deployed in various settings such as Linux email servers, web gateways, and file servers.
Highlights of ClamAV 1.4
The new release introduces a range of improvements tailored to enhance user experience and system security:
- Expanded File Support: ClamAV has broadened its capabilities with support for ALZ and LHA/LZH file formats, allowing for deeper inspection within more compressed file types.
- Image Fuzzy Hashing: This version allows more nuanced control over image fuzzy hashing, which helps detect visual similarities in images that could indicate phishing or malware.
- Enhanced Configuration Options: New DCONF settings have been included, so users can now toggle specific features directly through the configuration files, providing tailored operational flexibility.
On the platform side, ClamAV 1.4 has made several strategic platform support updates:
- The software has discontinued providing 32-bit Linux packages, prompted by broader industry shifts and the end-of-life of certain older Linux distributions. However, enthusiasts on older platforms can still compile from source.
- ClamAV 1.4 now offers ARM64 packages for Windows, expanding its support for more modern hardware architectures, although similar support for Linux is unavailable in this release.
Parallel to the main antivirus engine, the ClamAV bytecode compiler has been upgraded to utilize LLVM 16. The update also includes a range of other enhancements to improve the software’s overall efficiency and usability.
These include better integration with modern build systems, refined error messages for easier troubleshooting, and optimized performance settings for faster and more reliable scans.
For downloads and more detailed information, users can visit the ClamAVย download pageย and theirย GitHub Release page. The official announcement is here.
