Linux and Windows security compared

[spinynorman]

NewsForge has an interesting report which concludes -

The overall findings of this qualitative assessment are that Linux provides superior to comparable security capabilities in comparison to Windows, except in the category of assurance -- for now.

[Vicki]

Scince I have been using Mandrake I have had viruses in all of my email accounts but because Linux doesn't open .exe files it has been one less thing for me to worry about. I know that virri can get into Linux but it would have to one of our own to do that.

[linux_learner]

actually vicki, if you stay current with updates and use a firewall and good security permissions, then you have little to worry about.

 

virus are (to be specific) generally attachments and must be downloaded and opened.

 

worms traverse via the net looking for a particular vulnerability. linux has had a few of these.

 

trojans are programs that leave backdoors open for exploitation.

 

 

please see my security overview for more information http://www.mandrakeusers.org/index.php?showtopic=13265

[DragonMage]

The problem is that with Windows, the way they design the updates is basically almost useless.

 

1. If you have a brand new windows install, the only way to get the updates is to get to the internet using Windows Update. By the time you finish downloading the multi megabytes needed for the updates (which can take you hours even on broadband), you have already been attacked multitude of times. If Microsoft makes the update cd periodically and widely available, then it would be no problem.. the last update cd they make is from October 2003 (useless) and it took a month or more for the cd to arrive at your door (doubly useless).

 

2. I have experienced and seen other people's experiences of Microsoft Windows update breaking important applications, or worse, breaking Windows itself. Not that updates breaking apps or computers don't happen in Linux (in fact I seem to recall Mandrake issuing updates that breaks apps / computers a couple of years back) but they are rare and usually fixed in a couple of days at most.

 

So updating is fine if the method works, but if they don't work, then what's the use? :)