Linux Format forums

[Bazza]

Hi guys...

Make sure you read the comments too!

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/230569/postmacdefender_linux_looks_better_than_ever.html

;-(
_________________
73...

Bazza, G0LCU...

Team AMIGA...

[johnhudson]

As they say, 'Don't let facts get in the way of a good story.'

[Rhakios]

One thing about the original article, it claims that one of Linux's strengths is diversity, and yet we are often told that "under the hood" all Linuxes are very similar and our favourite magazine tels us it uses the command line in so many tutorials because that is the common factor between distros. So, if Linux became wildly popular, how long would it take malware writers to learn to exploit the underlying unity of Linux?
The main advantage is that "script-kiddies" aren't going to have much luck, but enterprising and clever malware writers might well be able to create kits from which others can create exploits.
In any event, social engineering will leave Linux, as well as any other OS open to interference.
_________________
Bye, Rhakios

[guy]

Social engineering is certainly the easiest route in for any malware (since IE6 anyway). Linux is only safer as long as the malware expects Windows or maybe MacOS underneath.

Once in, a standardised platform is bad news. Android malware is growing, and current attempts to standardise the code - merging all those crayzee forks - will make things worse.

People generally don't pick up food lying in the highway and eat it. Yet they pick up shiny stuff lying in the information highway and click it, then wonder why they get the virtual runs.

BTW Bazza said, "Make sure you read the comments too!" I don't see any, but then NoScript tells me there are seven script servers itching for me to let them rip. I do wonder if there is a (socially engineered) connection.
_________________
Cheers,
Guy
The eternal help vampire

[nelz]

Hardly an impartial piece. He complains about the use of security by obscurity by other platforms, then praises the diversity of Linux distros for providing exactly that. In ignoring the real security advantages of Linux he does more harm than good.
_________________
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (Albert Einstein)

[guy]

[nelz]

Not exactly the same but similar. Neither approach actually blocks any form of attack, just makes the entry point a little harder to find. Yes, he does mention the real advantages, but gives them less credence. Had he concentrated on those advantages the piece would have been far better, but instead he detracted from them.

Having said that, I don't believe the user privilege model provides significant protection. It may prevent malware from modifying your root partition (if you don't fall for the social engineering aspect and give a password) but it in no way stops your computer being used as a spambot for example.
_________________
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (Albert Einstein)

[johnhudson]

[Marrea]