RE: Which Windows OS is Safest
From: Leon North (leon_nc_at_linuxmail.org)
Date: 06/28/04
- Previous message: Dinis Cruz: "RE: ASP security in HTML pages"
- Maybe in reply to: Artturi Lehtiö: "Which Windows OS is Safest"
- Next in thread: Rusty Chiles: "RE: Which Windows OS is Safest"
- Reply: Rusty Chiles: "RE: Which Windows OS is Safest"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] [ attachment ]
To: security-basics@securityfocus.com Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 10:15:47 +0000
So far one of every Win OS has been suggested, so I'll buy into the debate, probably to my peril! :)
Using an out of date Windows OS is simply security through obscurity. This is not a good approach.
What you want is an OS which you have the greatest ability to lockdown. Never mind these systems are widely publicised as being compromised, this is nearly always due to the admin not protecting it properly, more so than the OS itself. For the desktop, start with the latest version WinXP, take advantage of the inbuilt security features (e.g. NTLMv2 removing LM hash, NTFS with secure non-default permissions, various local security policy settings etc), then follow general best practices for any OS (e.g. patch managing by testing and updating within a given timeframe etc). You will then be in a far better situation than any older Windows alternative.
Installing an old OS and hoping it won't be a 'sexy' target is little better than sticking your head in the sand.
Then again if your religion tells you different, preach away...
Leon
I would like to know what is regarded as the safest Windows OS as I need to
set up a few new computers for system administrators to use and I would like
to use a Windows OS as the system administrators who will be using the
computers have only experience with Windows. I know that the wisest thing to
do wouold be to teach them how to use another OS like OpenBSD but it isn't
possible.
Thanks.
Artturi Lehtiö
artturi.lehtio@vidafalt.com
>
>
>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ethical Hacking at the InfoSec Institute. Mention this ad and get $545 off
any course! All of our class sizes are guaranteed to be 10 students or less
to facilitate one-on-one interaction with one of our expert instructors.
Attend a course taught by an expert instructor with years of in-the-field
pen testing experience in our state of the art hacking lab. Master the skills
of an Ethical Hacker to better assess the security of your organization.
Visit us at:
http://www.infosecinstitute.com/courses/ethical_hacking_training.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- ______________________________________________ Check out the latest SMS services @ http://www.linuxmail.org This allows you to send and receive SMS through your mailbox. Powered by Outblaze --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ethical Hacking at the InfoSec Institute. Mention this ad and get $545 off any course! All of our class sizes are guaranteed to be 10 students or less to facilitate one-on-one interaction with one of our expert instructors. Attend a course taught by an expert instructor with years of in-the-field pen testing experience in our state of the art hacking lab. Master the skills of an Ethical Hacker to better assess the security of your organization. Visit us at: http://www.infosecinstitute.com/courses/ethical_hacking_training.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Previous message: Dinis Cruz: "RE: ASP security in HTML pages"
- Maybe in reply to: Artturi Lehtiö: "Which Windows OS is Safest"
- Next in thread: Rusty Chiles: "RE: Which Windows OS is Safest"
- Reply: Rusty Chiles: "RE: Which Windows OS is Safest"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] [ attachment ]
Relevant Pages
|
|
