Why Linux is better than Windows or macOS for security

 

By Dave Taylor - Computerworld | Feb 6, 2018 3:31 AM PT

Decisions made years ago about which operating system to roll out can affect corporate security today. Of the big three in widespread use, one can credibly be called the most secure.

Enterprises invest a lot of time, effort and money in keeping their systems secure. The most security-conscious might have a security operations center. They of course use firewalls and antivirus tools. They probably spend a lot of time monitoring their networks, looking for telltale anomalies that could indicate a breach. What with IDS, SIEM and NGFWs, they deploy a veritable alphabet of defenses.

But how many have given much thought to one of the cornerstones of their digital operations: the operating systems deployed on the workforce’s PCs? Was security even a factor when the desktop OS was selected?

This raises a question that every IT person should be able to answer: Which operating system is the most secure for general deployment?

We asked some experts what they think of the security of these three choices: Windows, the ever-more-complex platform that’s easily the most popular desktop system; macOS X, the FreeBSD Unix-based operating system that powers Apple Macintosh systems; and Linux, by which we mean all the various Linux distributions and related Unix-based systems.

Prease to read more here:

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3252823/linux/why-linu...

(OH n' I don't have a dog in this hunt)

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Never argue with a pig. It makes you look foolish and it anoys the hell out of the pig!

It's very simple

Windows is the most widely used system on the planet. So it stands to reason there are more malicious hackers attacking Windows.

Mac/Apple is nowhere near as much used, but it does get some of their attention, even though Mac-heads think they're immune.

Unix/Linux is really not much used by comparison, so has relatively little interest for the bad guys.

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Nuvi 2797LMT, DriveSmart 50 LMT-HD, Using Windows 10. DashCam A108C with GPS.

It's Very Simple

Melaqueman wrote:

Windows is the most widely used system on the planet. So it stands to reason there are more malicious hackers attacking Windows.

Mac/Apple is nowhere near as much used, but it does get some of their attention, even though Mac-heads think they're immune.

Unix/Linux is really not much used by comparison, so has relatively little interest for the bad guys.

Ditto

Linux is the dominant OS

Melaqueman wrote:

Windows is the most widely used system on the planet.

If you're only talking about desktop PCs and laptops, then you're correct. If you include tablets, cell phones, servers, TVs, and IOT gewgaws, all of which are also computers, then Linux is the most widely deployed OS on the planet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_operating_syste...