Open Source and Securtiy

[apoorv_khurasia]

Give your detailed thoughts also please.

[jeremy1701]

I think script kiddies are the biggest threat to security in all actuality and the reason being is that Windows is so easy to crack. We all know it, but they know it doubly so. The popularity of Linux may or may not increase the number of script kiddies but either way, I think that in order to do any damage, you've got to have a much more sophisticaed understanding of the OS and by the time a punk kid gets to that level of understanding, a certain level of repect develops along side it.

Just my thoughts.
Jeremy

[truoc444]

without root priveleges it's very difficult to add anything. half the time i can't add programs i want much less stuff i don't want.

[techieMoe]

There's a pretty in-depth article on this here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/securit...dows_vs_linux/

My personal opinion: just the opposite. If the code isn't a secret, the vulnerabilities are discovered and patched more quickly than if the code is kept under lock and key. Not to mention the many other advantages of running a Linux/UNIX based system, such as the idea of separate user and root accounts with different privileges.

[drakebasher]

I voted "yes", because the question is will growing popularity invite more threats. But I don't think there will be more threats, because Linux hackers are at least as smart and as motivated as Linux crackers.

[d38dm8nw81k1ng]

There's a pretty in-depth article on this here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/securit...dows_vs_linux/

My personal opinion: just the opposite. If the code isn't a secret, the vulnerabilities are discovered and patched more quickly than if the code is kept under lock and key. Not to mention the many other advantages of running a Linux/UNIX based system, such as the idea of separate user and root accounts with different privileges.

i've been looking for that link for AGES! i agree with what it says in the article.

if linux gets more popular it will be TARGETED and ATTACKED more, but that doesn't mean that it will have more security holes. many people are quick to point out the fact that Apache gets attacked a lot, but they miss the part where the security holes are fewer than IIS and also less damaging when exploited. if linux held 90% of the market share, i would NOT switch to windows to escape from the attacks, i'd just secure it more. i trust the OSS developers than MS developers

[Gullible Jones]

Will Linux become a bigger target? Yes, of course.

Will it get as bad as Windows has? No, it won't.

That said, distro maintainers should really get more security-conscious - using ProPolice and grSecurity patchsets by default, and perhaps libsafe if that's still maintained. And third-party software devs should keep a sharper eye out for things like buffer overflows, which malicious software often exploit.

On the other hand, IMHO, antivirus/antimalware daemons should not be necessary. This is a case where an ounce of prevention is worth several thousand tons of cure.