How much valid is the statment , "Linux is a TOTALLY Virus free OS" ?

Linux is not a bulletproof system, but you can have a maximum security by following some basic rules:

1- Minimize installed packages

2- Constantly update your Kernel and installed packages

3- Avoid using the root accout as much as you can

4- Use SElinux

5- Use SSH

6- Be aware of what services (daemons) are runing and close the unnecessary ones

7- Do not use a Desktop Environment if you can

i am not aware any OS that is purely safe from virus.mostly windows is effected by the virus because its widely use OS ,where as Linux need more technical skills and expert skills .but chances are pretty less as compare to other because some of the top layer code written in UNIX which is a top second layer of OS.that mean virus can effect almost all OS including Linux.People switch to Linux because of its free distribution and can be modify by user needs.

Basm Allah Alrahman Alrahim

100% (minus)0.0000001%  because no one target open source Operating System and FOSS ( Free Open Source Software) , because both are tested and trusted , of course there are some untrusted softwares but no one use software except famous and good software ( millions  are sharing open source and test them)

There is a different between Virus Mal-ware and Spy-ware Mal-ware ( Malware stand for malicious software ) , virus for corrupting your PC , spyware for stealing you , Linux or Unix-Like not a target until now for spy-ware but it will be ( I hope not for a long time)

Look To Unix-Like Operating System (Figure1)

Note

MAC OS is Linux OS

RedHat is Linux OS

SUSE is Linux OS

Any One Learn Linux OS right will make his operating system Soon and can Stop Any Attack , From My learning To Linux I understood What Is Windows From another Point Of View

Muhammad Anzar Said That Servers are Bad , look to PCWorld Article

Five Reasons Linux Beats Windows for Servers

Mohamed Anzar is right , Bad Applications Make Any Server Bad , So Don't Use Bad Applications

Wrong, You need to harden server for tightening the security and disable vulnrable application softwares/ports to avoid attacks. Otherwise system will comprmise. I have couple scripts to comprmize linux systems which will check the vulnarable ports and applications

Linux isn't virus or hole proof rather if you look at recent heartbleed issue, Linux systems were much affected. The best bet for any OS is to patch them as soon as the patches are available. However Linux isn't much vulnerable than Microsoft though.

Basm Allah Alrahman Alrahim

there is no OS completely Perfect

  that's why we use Encryption , and I think Encryption Also can't be Perfect but It make your OS very strong Against Virus And Hack

Linux strong because of Super user and because it is open source and there is a lot of developer share it , that's make any program contain virus or it is a virus will be known very fast and will be terminated faster an open source OS or Application all the world develop it ,  commercial OS are just made by one company 

there is some exceptions like MAC because it is Linux based and that mean it is shared and not shared !

SUSE ( be careful there is SUSE and OpenSUSE from the same company Novel and the second is free ) and Red hat are Linux based also and they are not free

be carful all the operating system are very beautiful but you must know how to handel them and the secrets to make them protected and work with full power

linux is more secure and virus free and no comparision with microsoft.

NOT valid. Some viruses immerged to target Linux machines

Arch is preferable operating system gives the rolling release of packages.