NetSky variant a greater threat than thought

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Standard MS FUD

Every single time the issue of another Windows virus is raised, the flawed and demonstrably incorrect point is made by a Microsoft apologist that "If Linux was as popular as Windows it would be infested with virus too".

Of course this is what Microsofties would like the masses to think. The reality is that Windows is, and forever will be, inherently prone to an infinite number of viral exploits, including all those as yet un-written, because every single succesful Windows virus exploits the same inherent design flaws of Windows.

Microsoft proprietary applications, welded into the OS at machine level, in a move designed to lock out competition, means (for example) a Microsoft mail program can cause the PC to wipe its own hard disk, if the instructions to do so are delivered right to machine level by the embedded app. Every Microsoft application which has been welded into the OS is a conduit for malware and security exploits. Windows 'reads' three letter extension of any file it is passed and on that basis it can - and often does - execute the file without asking permission of the owner of the machine.

Linux - which is Unix, does not give a rats ass about the filename. It is not possible to mail a file of any description to a Linux or Unix machine and have that machine execute that file without permission. NOT POSSIBLE. Sorry, Microsofties, but the reason why truly business critical and safety critical systems run on Unix and Linux platforms and not Windows is because when Unix was designed, security was designed in from the ground up. Windows was designed to make money for Microsoft. Security can not now be bolted on just because it has become a major issue.

It is a fallacy to suggest that Windows is more popular than Linux and Unix anyway - Windows is not used on safety critical and truly business critical systems at all. Business critical, safety critical systems - when was the last time yo uheard of such a system getting a new virus every week? It simply does not happen, even though 100% of critical infrastructure is run on Unix and Linux.

Windows is barely-fit-for-purpose computing OS for the masses. It wants to be everything to everyone, because when you have a 90% mark up on a product (like MS do with Windows), security is not the over-riding concern.

If it was as easy to write virus for Linux and Unix as it is for script kiddies to destroy Windows, of course people would do it, and the safety critical systems would be bought down with monotonous regularity. This doesn't happen, does it? SO the tired argument of "If linux/unix was as popular as windows", just does not wash.

Posted by: jellyclock   Posted on: 03/30/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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