CrossNodes: Linux Security: Tips from the Experts

“Is Linux more secure than Windows, or vice versa? Fueled by
conflicting industry reports, this controversy keeps raging. To
arrive at a well-informed opinion on the subject, you need to know
as much as you can about what kinds of security measures are
actually available for Linux. Moreover, if you’re administering
Linux already, some implementation tips from Linux security pros
can undoubtedly come in handy.

“‘It’s hard to talk about ‘Linux’ as an operating system, since
there are so many different variations. A number of different
OSes–such as FreeBSD, VMS, mainframe OSes like VM or VSE, or other
proprietary OSes–may lay claim to the title of ‘most secure OS,”
observes Pete Lindstrom, CISSP, research director for Spire
Security, LLC.

“‘The truth is that we don’t, as a community, attempt to figure
out which OS is most secure. We rely on an ‘unpopularity’ contest
to figure that out. Popularity is a fickle thing, though. Right
now, Linux has some momentum in security over Microsoft’s OS
family, but that can change quickly…'”

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