freshclam

Update virus definitions

$ freshclam

$ freshclam --check

$ freshclam -d

$ freshclam -v

$ freshclam --config-file=[/path/freshclam.conf]

freshclam [options]

freshclam downloads and updates ClamAV virus signature databases. It connects to ClamAV mirrors to fetch the latest malware definitions for the clamscan and clamd scanners.
The tool can run as a daemon for automatic updates or be triggered manually. Multiple mirrors provide redundancy. Downloaded databases are verified before installation.
freshclam is essential for keeping ClamAV effective against new threats.

-d, --daemon

Run as background daemon.

Daily checks when running as daemon.

Verbose output.

Check for updates without downloading.

Configuration file path.

Log file path.

Display help information.

/etc/clamav/freshclam.conf

Main configuration file controlling database mirrors, update frequency, proxy settings, and notification options.

Requires network access to mirrors. Download frequency limits apply. Large database downloads on first run.

freshclam is part of ClamAV, the open source antivirus engine. ClamAV was created in 2001 and acquired by Sourcefire (later Cisco), providing free virus scanning for Unix systems.

clamscan(1), clamd(8), clamdscan(1)