2006-08-21 08:20:46 · 6 answers · asked by Scorpio 4 in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
Pretty damn secure if ur comparing it to Windows. Mac doesn't get viruses though...=)
2006-08-21 08:27:28 · answer #1 · answered by kg1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is difficult to say simply because there is no Windows source code available for the general public to see. However, from the general structure and history of the OS, Linux is most probably much more secure than Windows because Linux was designed from the beginning to be time-sharing OS.
If you really want to get crazy about it, you can actually use one of the special security-enhanced versions of Linux.
There are fewer attacks to Linux machines because there are less of them around than Windows boxes.
On the flip side of this, if a flaw is discovered and fixed in Linux you will have to install it yourself, which can be difficult. On the other hand, Microsoft provides all these patches that do this work automatically, which is quite convenient.
2006-08-21 16:05:13 · answer #2 · answered by Ilya1725 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't have any experience with Mac, but Linux is in general more secure than Windows, as it was designed with security in mind. Some would argue this, but I think it's more secure because the source code is open. There are a lot more people who look it over for bugs/security problems.
With any OS, you have to use it properly to have any hope of being secure. If there were as many people using Linux as Windows, and everyone ran all the time with admin privileges like most do with Windows, there would be virus and trojan problems just like with Windows.
I disagree with one point ilya made. Most Linux distributions have paciage and update managers, and it's just as easy to keep them updated as it is with Windows.
2006-08-21 17:05:35 · answer #3 · answered by Ken H 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Linux & Mac are both much more secure than windows, they don't get viruses, haven't heard of a kernel flaw in linux, if there was it would have been fixed by now and even then it would be countless times more secure than windows.
2006-08-21 16:00:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its very secure, each with its cons and pros
Mac is the most secure (uses Unix background)
Linux and windows is half half, specially with the most secure windows that is Windows XP SP2, They just discovered a flaw in Linux latest kernel that makes it as vulnerable as windows, thats why i say 50/50.
Hope this helps
2006-08-21 15:45:26 · answer #5 · answered by Christian D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
linux point: 10
windows point: 5
2006-08-21 16:41:48 · answer #6 · answered by Mojtaba N 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋