[ale] OT Linux Story

[Dow Hurst]

That is an important point about what does a critical update truly 
represent.  Most of MS bugs are kernel related or so married to the 
kernel that you have a root type compromise.  Linux under the Unix model 
of separation of user and kernel doesn't have a comparable rate.  In 
fact kernel level bugs in the stable kernel are extremely rare.  
Applications under Linux do have bugs being fixed all the time and so 
several may be a mild security vulnerability.  Any security vulnerablity 
is normally classed by a Linux distribution vendor as a critical update, 
even if the vulnerability is really mild.  If you separate your normal 
user login from a trash user login for interacting with a brower then 
you further insulate yourself from vulnerabilities.  Reading the CERT 
summaries shows this up clearly in that practically every MS posted 
vulnerability is severe while most Unix and Linux vulnerabilities are mild.
Dow


Thomas Holmquist wrote:

> heh? linux has 3x critical updates than MS? umm no... THE LINUX APPS 
> MIGHT, BUT NOT _LINUX_. When you patch windows XP, your patching a 
> WINDOWS bug...
>
> haswes at mindspring.com wrote:
>
>> Forgive me I wasn't following the whole thread. but remember SQL 
>> slammer worm?  BofA was hit by that from what I heard. You can't piss 
>> of a CEO and CFO together to many times.
>>
>> And I liked this quote.
>> "My Linux server at home has three times the number of critical 
>> updates than my Windows XP box, which sits right next to it. It's 
>> just a fact that all the guys hacking Microsoft are Linux guys, 
>> that's the game here," Hanks said.
>>
>>> From the following link.
>>
>> http://security.ziffdavis.com/article2/0,3973,1115539,00.asp
>> Another ASP page...
>>
>> Adrin
>>  
>>
>
>
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>

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Dow Hurst                  Office: 770-499-3428
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Kennesaw State University         Dow.Hurst at mindspring.com
Kennesaw, GA 30144
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