Windows vs. Linux security

[NunoUFO]

We all like to bash MS from time to time

Sure we do, caus its their software that the vast majority of people all over the world is using nowadays. If it where Linux on top, believe then we'd all be bashing Linux.

Why? Well the answer is simple: its not because MSFT software has more bugs than other software, it's only because it's really the more used and explored.
Take this example: if you have a new software and wanna find bugs shouldnt you put has much people for beta tester has you could? You would be more likely to find those nasty bugs and take a shot on squashing them. Well in all software ( and especialy big software like OS'es ) even the comercial version has some problems and we get stuck with them... However Microsofts position on this is quite positive, because they are constantly developing patches, and fixes. So we are getting support to the programs we all use and like.

In this case it prooved to be otherwise, but it also prooved that there is a strong commitment between people at MSFT and us the common users.

Nuno Luz
Portugal

[NunoUFO]

We all like to bash MS from time to time

Sure we do, caus its their software that the vast majority of people all over the world is using nowadays. If it where Linux on top, believe then we'd all be bashing Linux.

Why? Well the answer is simple: its not because MSFT software has more bugs than other software, it's only because it's really the more used and explored.
Take this example: if you have a new software and wanna find bugs shouldnt you put has much people for beta tester has you could? You would be more likely to find those nasty bugs and take a shot on squashing them. Well in all software ( and especialy big software like OS'es ) even the comercial version has some problems and we get stuck with them... However Microsofts position on this is quite positive, because they are constantly developing patches, and fixes. So we are getting support to the programs we all use and like.

In this case it prooved to be otherwise, but it also prooved that there is a strong commitment between people at MSFT and us the common users.

Nuno Luz
Portugal

[xymantix]

If it where Linux on top, believe then we'd all be bashing Linux.

That's my theory too. That's why, in a twisted way, I'd like to see Linux on top just for 1 year so that they can get a different perspective on the world. Everybody would be blaming them, criticizing them, exploiting known vulnerabilities, and writing viruses for the OS. It doesn't have as much to do with MS as most people think, it's who's on top and what they've had to do to get there.

[sponge]

I have a feeling us normal users wouldn't get the same treatment about what ended up to be bad HTML code.

And there ARE fundamental security differences between Linux and Windows that would make it more secure when accessed from the net, but that's for a different day.

[Fzara]

Originally Posted by xymantix

That's my theory too. That's why, in a twisted way, I'd like to see Linux on top just for 1 year so that they can get a different perspective on the world. Everybody would be blaming them, criticizing them, exploiting known vulnerabilities, and writing viruses for the OS. It doesn't have as much to do with MS as most people think, it's who's on top and what they've had to do to get there.

Uh-No. I forgot who, had a competition to award $20,000 to anyone with a Linux box who can crack, break into, or even infect it with a virus. The contest has gone with many tries for 2 years now-still no one can do it.

[Janak Parekh]

Can we avoid yet another Windows vs. Linux debate, please? Making comparisons like these are not very useful -- as sponge implies, the two OSes are architected quite differently and "popularity"-based security comparisons don't actually work.

--janak

[denivan]

Originally Posted by Janak Parekh

Can we avoid yet another Windows vs. Linux debate, please? Making comparisons like these are not very useful -- as sponge implies, the two OSes are architected quite differently and "popularity"-based security comparisons don't actually work.

--janak

Indeed, I'm sick of all those OS flame threads....and you guys all remember : yellow is the best color ! :mrgreen:

[caywen]

I will challenge anyone to break into this rock I have on my desk. Anyone who can hax0r this rock gets $50,000. I declare this rock to be the most secure rock ever made.

[qmrq]

Originally Posted by xymantix

That's my theory too. That's why, in a twisted way, I'd like to see Linux on top just for 1 year so that they can get a different perspective on the world. Everybody would be blaming them, criticizing them, exploiting known vulnerabilities, and writing viruses for the OS. It doesn't have as much to do with MS as most people think, it's who's on top and what they've had to do to get there.

Sorry about drifting further off topic, but.. Such a statement shows that you don't know much about UNIX / Linux. It is pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to write to system configuration files or do anything potentially damaging to the system as a normal user. "known vulnerabilities", bah.

[Janak Parekh]

FYI, this was split off from here.

In any case, qmrq is somewhat correct. His point is that any normal Linux user never runs with Administrative privileges; in fact, many programs will refuse to run if you're root.

On the other hand, Windows NT/2k/XP do let you set up nonprivileged users. However, a lot of people use legacy Windows software that makes it difficult for this to work in corporate environments; and, at home, XP makes it too easy to be an Administrator by default. I'd like to see default behavior go towards nonprivileged setups, as it will be a tremendous boost in Windows security (95%+ of email-based worms will be stopped by this one single maneuver). I'm baffled why Microsoft hasn't moved in this direction already. :? Maybe Longhorn?

And this doesn't address remote vulnerabilities at all, which both OSes suffer from.

And, most importantly, in all of these cases, popularity is not really the cause. User privileges has nothing to do with popularity, and as for remote vulnerabilities, UNIX-based servers are extremely popular; there are more servers running Apache, for instance, than IIS. Popularity more concerns the spread of the worm once it's in the wild, not the intrinsic security of an OS.

--janak

[Janak Parekh]

Originally Posted by Fzara

Uh-No. I forgot who, had a competition to award $20,000 to anyone with a Linux box who can crack, break into, or even infect it with a virus. The contest has gone with many tries for 2 years now-still no one can do it.

Unfortunately, these contests are not usually very useful. If I set up a Linux box and shut down all services, there isn't a vulnerability in the world I can use to crack into the box, unless there's a bug in the TCP/IP stack; however, such bugs are extraordinarily rare in most every OS today. Ditto for Windows, although shutting all the services down in Windows is quite a bit more difficult.

--janak