Question about Linux

[IamDavid]

Everyone says Linux is a much more secure OS than Windows. Is that because not as many people are experienced with Linux therefore not as many people trying to crack it? Is it like saying Win NT is less likely to acquire a virus. Only because no one has bothered to target NT systems because to affect the largest number of systems you use what everyone is using? Windows. Just a thought I was having. Probably wrong. What do you all think?

 

[Workin']

A large chunk of the webservers out there run Linux, so it's not like no one is using it. Linux basically has all the security of other Unix-type OS's

 

[FOBSIDE]

i would have to agree...im not sure about web servers but i believe linux boxes are more likely to be hacked than windows boxes. theres nothing you really want on a windows box. i know in linux theres more control over the security. you can close virtually all the ports youre not using.

 

[SUOrangeman]

There are too many script kiddies out there that just want to prove that they can get into your system. Many of them don't intend any more damage than that.

And since there are plenty of exploits that only exist on Windows, I think we'll likely see more e-mail virii (and hoxes) etc.

There is no need in arguing what's better or what's worse. Hackers are always gonna go after the top dog for their tricks. Therefore, IE-Outlook and Windows itself will be targets for quite some time. It's not necessarily Microsoft's fault. They've given us user many more avenues to do the things we do. They can't possibly prepare of every exploit that never existed before their software was released. It may suck, but the hest we can hope for is that they continue to work to close up some of those holes.

If any other app/OS becomes more popular than an MS offering, you can rest assured that the hackers will go after those as well.

-SUO