Linux/Unix have 3 times the vulnerabilities of Windows in '05

[Speedo]

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=175801215&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_news

Linux and Unix had 2,328 vulnerabilities last year, compared with 812 vulnerabilities for Microsoft Windows, according to the U.S. government's computer security group.

Padma beware!

I've said before that if Linux starts to edge into the spotlight we'll begin to see that it's just as bad as Windows, in its own way. Might I be right?

 

[Grisu]

yep, propably 2328 petty vulnerabilities compared to 812 critical ones

 

[Grisu]

oh, and this of course

The end-of-year vulnerability score should be taken with a grain of salt, however, since US-CERT doesn't filter out updates (so one actual vulnerability can be counted numerous times) nor does it break out individual vulnerabilities from warnings that cover multiple bugs (as in the many Mac OS X vulnerability listings).

I'm still pretty much positive that Linux is less vulnerable than Windows, and patches actually arrive pretty fast if a vulnerability is discovered. Unlikes another OS where users had to install a 3rd party patch to be on the safe side

 

[taper]

You also have to consider that there's hundreds of versions of *NIX, including Macs in that category. Some of the fringe versions probably have much poorer support than the mainstream ones, and although a hole is reported, it doesn't really mean anything. I'd bet money that the holes per OS is drastically lower for *NIX than Windows. I'd like to see how many problems the popular versions(Redhat, Ubuntu, Mac, Debian, SUSE, etc), have compared to Windows.

 

[Comraddict]

BS. Any linux vulnerability has limited success due to properly done multi-user enviroments with limits ot anybody who is not admin. Plus RedHat, Suse and other patch thesde issues promptly.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

You can be safer (in terms of worms, viruses and bugs) with Linux. But if you're not an idiot, you can be pretty much safe with Windows too.

What I hear though is that Linux is a little more susceptible to manual hacking (especially when a new user). But considering that the real damage comes from these automatic hordes of worms that troll the net, the penguin is still armor-clad safe.


Edit: Linux viruses are possible, despite talk of the contrary, but the nature of the OS makes it extremely difficult for them to proliferate.

 

[Maniacal]

If only the game compatiability was better.

 

[vbraun]

I've said before that if Linux starts to edge into the spotlight we'll begin to see that it's just as bad as Windows, in its own way. Might I be right?

Nah, we'll just switch to OSX.

 

[vbraun]

Ah, so there is a catch!

The end-of-year vulnerability score should be taken with a grain of salt, however, since US-CERT doesn't filter out updates (so one actual vulnerability can be counted numerous times) nor does it break out individual vulnerabilities from warnings that cover multiple bugs (as in the many Mac OS X vulnerability listings).

 

[Padma]

As I said elsewhere:

As Mark Twain once said, you have lies, damned lies, and statistics. That report embodies all three.

All UNIX, *BSD, and Linux distros were lumped into one number. That's like lumping Lexus, BMW, Infinite, Toyota, Honda, Porsche, Volkswagen, Saab and Volvo into a single group, comparing them to Chevy and then saying that Chevys are safer. They also treat the same bug as a new bug for each distro that reports it. One bzip bug was counted 10 times! The disturbing reality is, someone giving this a cursory glance might believe these asinine numbers. Never mind that they include safari in the *NIX number, even though that can't possibly impact you if you run Linux. Complete junk. Beyond the stupidity of the numbers though, there is a bigger issue. Security issues in Open Source actually get spotted and fixed on a regular basis. This is a *good* thing and it makes you much more secure in the end. The security by obscurity and closed source aspect of Windows means that a bug is only acknowledged and fixed when Microsoft decides to do it.

 

[Maniacal]

Scarey. Very scarey.

And sad, extremely sad. Whoever did that report was probably getting bribed by God Gates.

 

[xyourxmomxcorex]

I use windows...its much easier.
Just use a limited account when possible, download AVG, get norton, get a firewall...okay mabye not...but still better compatability.

 

[dragokatzov]

I use windows...its much easier.
Just use a limited account when possible, download AVG, get norton, get a firewall...okay mabye not...but still better compatability.

having more than one AV on your computer, your only asking fopr trouble.



As for *NIX having more wholes than windows, i don't believe it, its more than likely mindless M$ propaganda. even if it does, your still better off with linux than windows