Linked by Jeremy LaCroix on Wed 13th Aug 2003 16:59 UTC
I am a "Technologist", a Technology enthusiast that is usually the one that is called should a major catastrophe strike an end user. My saga of computer rescues becomes a plot that is ever so thickening, if not only for the fact that's it's becoming incredibly easy for hackers and malicious code writers these days to invade personal property to find, seek, and destroy. Each year, virus and hacker threats increase, and in addition the damage trail left behind is something of a problem. Not to forget, a majority of "PC Panic" cases I've come across are often times the same common, "major" problem.
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This is such a loaded discussion. However, I have a few questions. First, let me posit that I have never owned a Win machine (O.K. there was that Compaq laptop, but I never really booted into WinXP, just formatted the HD). I currently work with Solaris/Linux/OSX. I have the following observations that I would like to get some comments on from the general audience.
1) Physical acess to a machine aside, I do not understand the arguements going along the lines of "mac is just as insecure as windows..." I've used various mac os versions starting with 7.3 and I've never run across a virus that spread through an email attachment or via port schenanigans. The only virii I've ever run across (and this was a while ago) were concentrated in Office macro packages... Not really a mac problem since it only affected Office. Can someone please point me in the direction of a site describing Nimbda or Code Red or Slammer or ... class virii that have infected the MacOS? Extra points for ones remotely rooting OSX.
2) The whole "windows has so much market share..." arguement for why it is targetted is a no-go. The server space is not dominated by windows, yet that OS is the only one being hit. Isn't it more the issue of M$ purposefully making a system allowing remote compromises? Why should an email attachement be allowed to make changes to the OS? Do the programmers not know how to check for buffer overflows?
3) Should it really be the BOFH's responsibility to buy more expensive software to insure that their already bloated expensive software is secure? All services are turned off by default in most *nix variants (including OSX).
4) Finally, I pay for bandwidth. How is it that every time some stupid scriptkiddy unleashes some pathetic exploit on Windows previously published, I have to suffer? My servers are not perpetuating this yet they are being clogged with stupid worm/virus probes. I _still_ get Code Red probes? As a result, my business suffers because my servers are spending time dealing with other peoples and ultimately M$ inept coding practices.
Any insights would be appreciated.