NetSky variant a greater threat than thought

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Home users aren't "safety critical systems"

First, you said "because every single succesful Windows virus exploits the same inherent design flaws of Windows." This simply isn't true. For example, MSBlast used a port vulnerbility unrelated to anything else in the OS. However, the most common delivery is the plain old email attachment social engineering exploit. This is something that's very simple to prevent by applying the proper security settings but since Windows ships with this wide open, it allows this to happen over and over again.

What does 'wash' is that most Linux desktop systems are operated by people who're computer savvy and would be unlikely to execute a suspicious email attachment no matter what their OS was. What remains as a question is when desktop Linux gets a decent market share that includes 'average-Joe' home users who isn't computer savvy, and doesn't have a spouse who is, will they break their better Linux security to execute a tempting file? My guess is that you will have those who do and at about the same percentage as do this in Windows. The only advantage is that Linux requires a few more steps to be stupid than Windows out-of-the-box does so that the computer-hopeless may not be able to figure out how to flip the execute bit.

It is true that Linux is designed as a server OS, not a desktop OS, and is inherently more secure than Windows, which was designed as a desktop OS, as a result. However, I predict that some of its server level security will have to be downgraded in order for it to be viable in the consumer desktop market. Users are used to clicking on a file and having the related application run and load the file. Requiring a lot of extra steps will frustrate them and send them running back to Windows.

Posted by: jfrankcarr   Posted on: 03/31/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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