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ZDNET UK: Government expert backs open source

A British security agent’s endorsement of Linux and the
open-source model highlights Windows concerns.

“An expert at the British government’s computer security
headquarters, CESG (Communications-Electronics Security Group) has
endorsed Linux along with the open source model for software
development as the most secure computer architecture available.
CESG is the sister organisation of the notoriously secretive GCHQ
(Government Communications Headquarters).”

“Stuart Troughton, a consultant and civil servant at CESG offers
expert advice to government agencies and departments on computer
security and says that he believes in Linux 100 percent. “Linux is
as secure as you can make a computer,” he says. “First of all, Unix
[on which Linux is based] is the paradigm that the computer is the
network, so Linux is secure from the ground up. Secondly, it is
open so if I’m not happy with something I can check it myself or
hire someone to check it. This is very, very important considering
that data is the most valuable thing on the planet, bar none.”

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