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Old 11-09-2005, 09:15 AM   #11 (permalink)
Jinn
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Location: Seattle, WA
Quote:
My point was this saying you are switching OSes because one is more secure is being blind to the truth. At least say you are doing it because this OS is attacked less than another. Case in point the USA is probably one of the most secure nations in the world yet there are countries out there that are safer (Luxemburg maybe? Switzerland, ect) because people don't bother attacking them. The same is true with OSes.
I'm with Pragma on the "a bunch of bullshit" argument, and I've never needed to use a Linux distro for anything productive. There is certainly a factor of marketshare, but it's a minor factor in computer security. Think about Windows 3.11 or Windows 98. They had large marketshare, but there weren't many viruses for them. Why? Becuase the technology to exploit vulnerabilites wasn't there. As designers of malicious software get better and better, so too must the OS match the progression. Once we got past ARPAnet, the door flew up to a whole new medium for viruses to spread through. Previously, you really were only at risk with an infected floppy. Specifically, the network interfaces are the most likely areas for virus propogation, and Windows / *Nix approach it much differently. Windows left ports open, and only closed them when explicitly prompted. *Nix leaves ports closed, and only opens them with explicitly prompted. This was the first wave -- SP2 came out with Windows Firewall to change this modality, but there are still inherent security flaws of Windows that Linux has never had.

ActiveX is a prime example of a great idea that *in reality* just makes viruses easy to write. Linux browsers don't support it, for good reason -- it's very insecure and has far too much access to resources.

Similarly, Windows' tight integration of a WEB BROWSER into the operating system creates a huge flaw. Our biggest front for security-related threats nowadays, our browser, is connected to our most important software -- our OS. You won't see this in Linux distros.

These are all relatively generalistic, but there are PLENTY of OS specific vulnerabilities. Linux (typically) locks down far more with its system of users, privileges, runlevels, etc. THAT is why the majority of security breaches occur in Windows, not because they have the outstanding marketshare.

--That said, I will likely never use Linux unless it becomes far more mainstream. While recognizing the flaws in Windows' security designs, I am able to do everything that I want and need to do in Windows. I'm a very cautious user and I don't really run the risk of infection in ordinary circumstances. I can count on my drivers and programs to work how I expect them to work, and be compatible with 90% of the games and things that come out. I've installed Gentoo and others, but I got it installed and said.. "Now what?" I couldn't really do anything I COULDN'T do in Windows. Why bother? I didn't.. that partition was formatted soon after.
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