Re: New Microsoft Security scare?

From: Micheal Robert Zium (mrozium_at_XSPAMX-yahoo.com)
Date: 02/13/04 

Date: 12 Feb 2004 22:43:13 -0600

Leythos wrote:

>In article <bi3o2098nqp3a243jd66s4r08ankptbs1h@4ax.com>, mrozium@XSPAMX-
>yahoo.com says...
>> Leythos wrote:
>>
>> >Next time you get a chance, run a full install of Red Hat 9.X on a home
>> >PC, pretending that you know nothing about computers, and then hook it
>> >directly to the internet. Oh, one other thing, do a full install of it,
>> >just like Win XP Professional would have.
>>
>> Now, that would hardly be a fair comparison. A fully installed Redhat
>> box would likely survive for quite a while (until a person of
>> questionable scruples finds it) unaffected, unlike an XP box which
>> would likely last only minutes before it was compromised.
>>
>> Are you suggesting there is a worm that will compromise an unprotected
>> Linux box? If so, I'd like to know about it. Thanks.
>
>There are many security risks for Linux and the apps installed with most
>distros for full use workstations - all you have to do is visit cert or
>some of the popular open source sites to find them.

I agree. I do my best to keep up with them.

>While a Windows box will be compromised faster than a Linux box, the
>time is really not relevant since the number of attacks directed at the
>number of windows installations currently exceeds anything directed at
>the Linux installed base. With that in mind, a Linux distro installed by
>the same level of Windows user, one that would not secure it, could be
>compromised in the same amount of time - if the number of attacks were
>equal. What this means is that the larger target gets the brunt of the
>attacks, so a Linux box, while not secure by default, is less likely to
>be compromised in the same amount of time.

This is where we disagree. While I try to keep up with both platforms
(since I support both), I must've missed the Linux worm. :) Worms are
what affect (and infect) Microsoft OSes the most, in context of merely
placing an unprotected computer on the Internet (not counting user
intervention, such as hostile websites, e-mail, etc.). While it may
be trivial to exploit some of the Linux program's holes, I know of no
automated (worm) program in the wild. Maybe I'm behind the times.
Many people feel that if (perhaps when) Linux has an equal presence on
desktops, then the equal amount of worms will come. We can't know for
sure until that time comes, so it's really futile to speculate.

>You can't really tell me you've not followed the last years worth of
>security alerts for all the different OS's?

I try to. It's pretty tough to keep up with them all, especially
since most of the Linux program's problems are either trivial or don't
affect any of the setups that I control. Microsoft, on the other
hand, well...

I'm behind you 100% when you advocate securing your boxes no matter
what OS is installed. Know your OS. Sleep at night.

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