install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install clamav

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install clamav

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/clamav/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add clamav

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · clamav · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install clamav

Debian stable package indexes · clamav · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install clamav

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · clamav · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#clamav

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/cl/clamav/package.nix · source: api.github.com

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%

sudo pacman -S clamav

Arch Linux sync databases · clamav · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install clamav

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · clamav · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Chocolateyverified · 92%

choco install clamav

Chocolatey community package catalog · clamav · source: community.chocolatey.org

Scoopverified · 92%

scoop install extras/clamav

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/clamav.json · source: api.github.com

Windows Package Managerverified · 92%

winget install --id Cisco.ClamAV -e

Windows Package Manager source index · Cisco.ClamAV · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com

overview

Package summary

Anti-virus software

Project links

Commands and aliases

clamav-config
clambc
clamconf
clamd
clamdscan
clamdtop
clamonacc
clamscan
clamsubmit
freshclam
sigtool

history

Project history and usage

ClamAV is a long-running open source antivirus engine and command-line toolkit for detecting trojans, viruses, malware, and other threats. In package-manager terms, it is the classic installable antivirus stack: clamscan for one-shot scans, clamd for daemonized scanning, freshclam for signature updates, and supporting tools for signatures and configuration.

Project history

The current official repository is maintained under Cisco Talos. The README points to docs.clamav.net, the bundled NEWS file, source builds, package-manager installation, Docker images, and official installers for Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Adoption history

The supplied package-manager data shows ClamAV packaged across Alpine, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora/DNF, Arch, openSUSE, Nix, MacPorts, Homebrew, Chocolatey, Scoop, winget, and zypper. That breadth reflects its role as the default open source antivirus engine available through OS and language-adjacent package ecosystems.

How it is used

Users typically install the engine and signature tools, update databases with freshclam, scan files with clamscan or clamdscan, and run clamd for service-style scanning. The official sample configurations document clamd.conf and freshclam.conf options such as database directories, logging, official signature handling, and CVD certificate directories.

Why package nerds care

ClamAV is significant because it is both an end-user CLI package and infrastructure plumbing. Package maintainers care about its daemon, database update cadence, bundled signature tooling, optional components, distro-specific config paths, and the difference between upstream official packages and third-party binary packages.

Timeline

2012: Cisco-Talos/clamav GitHub repository created.
2021: v0.104 line introduced official Debian/RPM packages, macOS PKG installers, and updated Windows packaging according to the README.
2022: ClamAV 1.0.0 released.
2025: ClamAV 1.0.9 release published on the 1.0 LTS line.
2026: Main branch NEWS documents ongoing 1.5 and 1.6 development.

Related projects

Related components include libclamav, clamd, clamdscan, freshclam, sigtool, clamav-milter, the ClamAV documentation repository, official Docker images, and signature database infrastructure.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: orange

formula declares a Homebrew service.

Risk classifier

orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure

Why

formula declares a Homebrew service

Signals

metadata:service

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Formula metadata declares a service or daemon block.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 4 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 3 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Linux: /etc/clamav/freshclam.conf/etc/clamav/clamd.conf
macOS: /usr/local/etc/clamav/freshclam.conf/usr/local/etc/clamav/clamd.conf/opt/local/etc/freshclam.conf/opt/local/etc/clamd.conf
Unix: /usr/local/etc/freshclam.conf/usr/local/etc/clamd.conf/usr/local/etc/clamav-milter.conf
Windows: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/ClamAV/ConfDirC:\Program Files\ClamAVC:\ClamAV

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`clamav-config`	cli	global executable
`clambc`	cli	global executable
`clamconf`	cli	global executable
`clamd`	cli	global executable
`clamdscan`	cli	global executable
`clamdtop`	cli	global executable
`clamonacc`	cli	global executable
`clamscan`	cli	global executable
`clamsubmit`	cli	global executable
`freshclam`	cli	global executable
`sigtool`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version1.5.3

manager updated2026-07-01

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav

infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamavnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:clamav
Version	1.5.3
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/clamav
Homepage	https://www.clamav.net/
Repository	https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav
Upstream docs	https://docs.clamav.net/
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://github.com/Cisco-Talos/clamav/releases/download/clamav-1.5.3/clamav-1.5.3.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-07-01T18:14:11Z
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	json-c, openssl@3, pcre2, yara
Build dependencies	cmake, pkgconf, rust
Uses from macOS	bzip2, curl, libxml2, ncurses
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	declared
Caveats	To finish installation & run clamav you will need to edit the example conf files at $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/etc/clamav/

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	clamav
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

clamav 1.4.3+dfsg-1

anti-virus utility for Unix - command-line interface

Install clamav with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper