On Wed, Feb 04, 2004 at 11:00:34AM +0200, Giannis Stoilis wrote:
I am the Secretary of the Hellenic Linux Users Group(http://www.hellug.gr/)
BTW: Do you use anything else then the kernel? :)
In an interview given by "Microsoft Hellas S.A."(http://www.microsoft.com/hellas/) CEO(Mr. Christos Tsagkos) at the Hellenic Financial Newspaper Naftemporiki(E-WORKING Manazine, Page 4, Answer to the 4th question - http://www.naftemporiki.gr/%5Bgreek only]), there was an abstract saying, word by word: "Let me start by saying that, according to a recert reasearch by IDC, Windows is the least vulnerable operating system, regarding security issues. The research indicates that there are more than twice number of viruses for Linux than for Windows". I have searched every recent research from IDC but I haven't found that information. What do you advise us to do? We have already contacted IDC and waiting for a response.
Most people will not trust a study result stated this way. Asking for the results is the right way to do.
Point people to better research, then they can think for themselfs:
David Wheeler http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html#security
Especially:
9. The majority of the most serious security problems only apply to Microsoft's products, and not to OSS/FS products, as suggested by the CERT/CC's "most frequent, high-impact types of security incidents and vulnerabilities" and the ICAT database.
10. Computer viruses are overwhelmingly more prevalent on Windows than any other system.
11. Microsoft has had far more vulnerabilities than anyone else, according to SecurityTracker.
Interesting Quote: "Microsoft's Jim Allchin disclosed under oath in court testimony that some Microsoft code was so flawed it could not be safely disclosed to the public."