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Linux Security and Viruses

Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 4:06 pm
by AstralExistence
hi been using mint now for a month and i told my windows it friend ive switched to linux because its more safer. he said, 'linux is great for running a server
that's where the greatness ends.'
i said, 'linux improves its user expirence the more you know.' he said, 'yeah
that they do'
'if they had development funding like microsoft' 'they could make some nice gui stuff' i said, 'i like the safety factor' he said 'structurally it's no safer than windows' 'ever since vista
and 7 they use priveledge seperation
just like linux' 'you think open source makes it MORE secure?' 'you think it's difficult to write exploits and viruses in C?' 'esp when you have the os code available???
really????
nope

you know why there are more viruses for windows?' more users.
therefore more to exploit
malware and trojans are the biggest threat.'but people don't write malware and trojans for linux
because it would barely infect any systems
bc most ppl use windows
and most businesses use it
and financial institutions.'

'harder to crack?
no it isn't'

i said ,'windows doesnt use sudo. 'no, it has it's on equivalent' 'ok then
my "argument" is that there are more viruses for windows
bc people write malware and trojans for windows
because there are way more windows users
esp in enterprise environments
writing such things for linux/unix is incredibly easy
but is not typically done because there is no demand
post that and watch everyone agree w me.'

so what do you linux experts think?

Re: Linux Security and Viruses

Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 7:57 pm
by AAAAH!ERMAGAWD!HELP!
Linux and Unix don't run viruses. An infected file isn't going to infect other files in a Unix/Linux environment, because they don't work that way.

You can download malware, but you have to A) give it rights B) execute it.
AstralExistence wrote: you know why there are more viruses for windows?' more users.
Wrong. Everyone depends on Linux on a daily basis whether you know it or not. Counting mobile OSes, desktops, and servers, there are probably more linux based computers than there are Windows based computers in the world.
Note that there's more valuable information protected on Linux servers, like banks, Google, and other companies that have large secure databases.

Re: Linux Security and Viruses

Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 2:48 am
by The-Wizard
just thinking of my own home all the following have some sort of linux based system,

mobile phone's [3 of them]

digital answer-phone, smart microwave, dish washer,washing machine, both DVB decoders [satellite and terrestrial] music centre, both lcd t/v's, all 4 computers, and the one most people don't think of the cpu system in my car,

so assuming i was a typical home owner with only two computers and one mobile phone each my linux use is 5x that of my windows use,

so dont let people tell you they never use linux as in daily life we use it more than any other family of operating systems

wizard

Re: Linux Security and Viruses

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 5:38 am
by willation
I am new to Linux. I see more stability, but most of all I feel safer. I think it's great that you have the option to not run anti-virus and still be safe, or if you want to, clam-av.