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From: FromTheRafters on 23 Jan 2010 21:00
"Bill" <sendspamhere(a)mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:hjg8jf$kag$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
> On Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:29:28 -0800, ghelf wrote:
>
>> What are your thoughts on this.
>
> I have found over the years that Windows is the problem. Linux is the
> answer.

Not really. Much of today's malware exploits human nature not flaws in
the underlying OS architecture.

It was once thought that user education was the answer to 'the malware
problem', but users refused to be educated. So, now we have programs
that they can run to "protect themselves" while doing all of the stupid
things they've become accustomed to.


From: Dustin Cook on 24 Jan 2010 03:08
Bill <sendspamhere(a)mailinator.com> wrote in
news:hjgc0c$45l$1(a)news.eternal-september.org:

> On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:00:08 -0500, FromTheRafters wrote:
>
>> Not really. Much of today's malware exploits human nature not flaws
>> in the underlying OS architecture.
>
> But it all exploits Windows based software. Why? Because of the nature
> of the beast. Windows is easy to exploit because it's made to be easy
> to exploit. With Linux, it's not so simple. Getting away from using
> Windows was the best decision I ever made.

The malware exploits what the majority of users use. Some of it was
vulnerable windows software, other aspects of infection was user ignorance.
Linux won't cure the 2nd problem. It's like mac vs pc. if enough people
used mac, it too would have widespread malware written for it.



--
"Is there anything in Guul Draz that doesn't suck the life out of you?"
- Tarsa, Sea Gate sell-sword.

From: FromTheRafters on 24 Jan 2010 07:15

"Dustin Cook" <bughunter.dustin(a)gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9D0A209C2D158HHI2948AJD832(a)69.16.185.247...
> Bill <sendspamhere(a)mailinator.com> wrote in
> news:hjgc0c$45l$1(a)news.eternal-september.org:
>
>> On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:00:08 -0500, FromTheRafters wrote:
>>
>>> Not really. Much of today's malware exploits human nature not flaws
>>> in the underlying OS architecture.
>>
>> But it all exploits Windows based software.

No, most of it exploits the *users* of Windows based software.

> Why? Because of the nature of the beast.

That nature being that it is the most popular operating system software.

> Windows is easy to exploit because it's made to be easy to exploit.

Historically true perhaps for the home desktop versions especially.
Win9x had almost no filesystem security, and 'brain-dead' default
configuration settings.

> With Linux, it's not so simple. Getting away from using
>> Windows was the best decision I ever made.

Can't argue with that. I like Linux and the whole 'free software' and
'open source' realm.

> The malware exploits what the majority of users use. Some of it was
> vulnerable windows software, other aspects of infection was user
> ignorance.
> Linux won't cure the 2nd problem. It's like mac vs pc. if enough
> people
> used mac, it too would have widespread malware written for it.

People who post "Linux (or Mac) is the answer" posts are only showing
that they misunderstand the malware problem. As you say, a major shift
in what OS most users use will result in a major shift in what software
malware writers target.


From: Ant on 24 Jan 2010 07:16
Bill wrote:

> But it all exploits Windows based software. Why? Because of the nature
> of the beast.

Because it has the largest installed base and therefore gives the best
return.

> Windows is easy to exploit because it's made to be easy to exploit.

Nonesense. It's the mass of computer-illiterate users who are being
exploited.

> With Linux, it's not so simple.

Yah think? I hope you follow bugtraq. There are as many, if not more,
software vulnerabilities posted for Linux distributions as Windows.

> Getting away from using Windows was the best decision I ever made.

You can bet that if Linux overtook Windows as the popular choice of
the general public it would be the prime target of malware.

By the way, this thread is nearly 3 months old.


From: FromTheRafters on 24 Jan 2010 19:13
"Bill" <sendspamhere(a)mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:hjhlvl$s36$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
> On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 07:15:58 -0500, FromTheRafters wrote:
>
>> People who post "Linux (or Mac) is the answer" posts are only showing
>> that they misunderstand the malware problem. As you say, a major
>> shift
>> in what OS most users use will result in a major shift in what
>> software
>> malware writers target.
>
> Linux is not Mac.

Duh! Nobody said it was.

> While malware writers may have a field day on Mac
> software, trying to execute malware on a Linux box is not such an easy
> task. None of that click and go bullshit.

Is it really that hard to run an application on Linux?

I never had any trouble doing so.


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