AdGuard for Linux released with command line support
AdGuard has announced the availability of its ad blocker for Linux operating systems. The Cyprus-based company had initially released a nightly version last month, but it has now been released to stable channel.
The update brings more options to the tool, including support for SOCKS5 and HTTP proxy modes. While it retains many of its primary features, AdGuard v1.0 for Linux differs from the Windows and macOS versions greatly, and that's because it does not have a GUI. The Linux version is designed to be used with the command line.
AdGuard lets you selectively route HTTPS traffic from certain apps, to bypass the ad blocking filters when you don't need it. The utility comes with two pre-built lists of browsers and apps to be excluded from HTTPS filtering. Users can use the terminal editor or a text editor to customize these lists, by editing the proxy.yaml for app exclusions and browsers.yaml for browser exclusions.
Traffic can be filtered on a per-app basis. AdGuard also allows users to use their own rules for filtering ads, an option to add filters from the AdGuard list or install custom filters via URL, and the ability to enable, disable or remove a filter. The app has a set-up wizard that guides users through the configuration process step-by-step. Optionally, users can choose to set it up using the config file method.
AdGuard for Linux uses a different method to update filters, instead of downloading the entire list, it will only download the changes that were made to a list since the previous update. In other words, it uses a differential filter update. The company says that this will consume less traffic to update and filters will be updated faster than ever, to ensure that users always have the latest versions to block advertisements accurately.
Users can install AdGuard for Linux using this command: curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AdguardTeam/AdGuardCLI/release/install.sh | sh -s -- -v
For further details, please read the instructions available on AdGuard's website.
For those looking for a streamlined and effective ad-blocking solution on Linux, AdGuard 1.0 marks a substantial step forward in functionality, proving that sometimes less indeed is more.
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@ David said on April 30, 2025 at 9:48 pm
[…] “what I’d REALLY like is something better than CLAMAV for anti-virus on Linux.”
There are other AV’s for Linux. However, they are all proprietary and cost money, IIRC. There was one free one, while still being proprietary it was free money wise, but it was sneakily sending mail from your system to theirs with a bunch of information, I don’t recall to what extent but it was information about your system and such that shouldn’t be sent out. It wasn’t even anonymized! I had to block it just to briefly use it before I wiped it.
While I don’t know the current count, as I haven’t checked in awhile, there should be a few free AV LiveCD/DVDs available from some AV companies. While these LiveCD/DVDs run Linux, they may or may not scan for Linux specific malware.
What we need is better, FOSS tools for rootkit detection. Chkrootkit and Rkhunter are good programs but a) they are not updated often enough and b) there are TONS of rootkits out there for Linux which these tools DO NOT INCLUDE DETECTION OF!
Someone needs to hire some developers and fund/kick start some alternative to those two programs.
Yes, I know there’s also Lynis and Yara and a few other tools but we need better rootkit detection.
No thank you. uBlock Origin is [good] enough.
A well-managed set of host profiles is sufficient for me, but what I’d REALLY like is something better than CLAMAV for anti-virus on Linux.
I do not trust AdGuard (shady ownership). I also do not get the point of Ad blocker for Linux systems, since Linux systems (to my knowledge) do not use tracking or display ads. Ad blocker in browser, unless all popular browsers disable ad blockers in the future, is the optimal solution. You can also use optional utilities on Linux to block host connections. Proxy for Linux, unless it is VPN, is just an overkill.
Very nice article!
Good to see some attention being thrown towards Linux here, thank you! I have to wonder why this would even be needed? Why inject a 3rd party monitoring app into your already secure Linux OS when as far as I know ads directly to the base Linux OS are non-existent.
Ads are a Browser/App issue not an Operating System issue. And why are they catering to the CLI when Linux is transforming into a full GUI to attract users from windows? It seems to be counterintuitive and misguided in design from the start.
I’m not sure at all I would even want to give permissions to this 3rd party App in my base OS, or use their Proxy… It could be a security risk in it’s self.
In the absence of host file solutions on mobile devices, adblockers like this can be helpful. But I agree that it’s a less optimal solution on a desktop when better solutions exist. And, especially, as you say, because it actually introduces a vulnerability into the system.