Linked by Jordan Spencer Cunningham on Fri 14th Aug 2009 02:29 UTC
Linux It's the end of the world. Again. According to some Linux developers and security researchers, a bug in the Linux kernel has just been uncovered that makes just about every distribution utilizing kernel 2.4 and 2.6 on just about all architectures since May of 2001 vulnerable to a certain kind of attack.
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RE: Apologists - a bug isn't a problem
by jabbotts on Sat 15th Aug 2009 15:03 UTC in reply to "Apologists"
jabbotts
Member since:
2007-09-06

What is there to be critical of? A bit of software had a bug discovered. The important thing is how long that bug remained known before the update became available. Simply counting bugs is the pastime of people with little true security and design understanding.

Bug reported in morning news along with patch (0730 EST). Debian kernel update available and applied (16:30 EST).

That's not all distributions but patch times is how one measures the quality of a general use distribution.

So, where is the grievous apologist back peddling? Where is the straying off topic and undue griefing?

Reply Parent Score: 2

strcpy Member since:
2009-05-20

Did you actually read the parent post?

He wondered why a news with Linux kernel vulnerability in its title attains comments related to Windows XP.

A legitimate question to which I sarcastically replied that it seems to be the common way things are handled by the Linux advocacy camp in the public internet forums. (I have no idea what was the question you answered.)

Reply Parent Score: 1

jabbotts Member since:
2007-09-06

You inspired me to go back and check that I had not missread.

http://www.osnews.com/comments/21993?view=flat&sort=&threshold=0

2009/08/14 16:12 - Big Gie - this is the first mention of Windows in a platform neutral comparison intending to illistrate how serious a vulnerability exploitable across the major kernel versions in use today could be. It simply makes the example accessible to those more familiar with Windows without suggesting some kind of deficiency in the reader.

2009/08/14 17:02 - JR - Title is "WinXP" and fires the first shots of hostility from the Windows fan camp with accusations that this bug somehow negates the "more secure by design" benefit to most Unix like platforms.

JR's post starting this thread suggests that it would be Linux "Apoligists" who fire the first shot and can't focus on anything outside of blaming Windows unrelated to the actual article.

I was not originally replying to your comment but since you bring it up, you then further support this prejudgment by suggesting that only/all Linux folk close there eyes and ignore any faults in there preferred platform in favor of slamming other platforms. The point of value is your suggestion that many people learn to filter out the tripe and focus on more valuable points.

Most of the comments where actually about the implications of this bug, how long it will take for updated kernels to become generally available and ways to mitigate the risk of exploitation through it. Discussions about windows where more often in response to someone fanboy accusations or limited understanding of platform design.

Reply Parent Score: 2