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For six years, the Internet Nexus served as my technology blog, but I've since started blogging at the SuperSite Blog instead. If you're looking for the blog, please head there. --Paul

Sunday, July 04, 2004

Break the Windows habit to gain computer security

NCTimes.com: "You can cut the risk from malicious software or hacker intrusions to nearly zero in just one step. That step is to stop using computers with Microsoft's increasingly vulnerable Windows operating system. By using computers running the Linux or Apple Macintosh operating systems, you eliminate the vast majority of risks from malicious software. Add a good firewall and anti-virus program to become the next best thing to invulnerable. That has been my experience for the last eight months: running a Linux-powered computer at home. I don't have to worry about my Web browser being hijacked by spyware. I don't have to turn off HTML in my e-mail reader to avoid getting infected. When the latest Windows viruses land in my e-mail box, I just laugh while hitting the delete key. The common tasks an average computer user performs on a Windows PC are just as easy, if not easier, on Linux. These include Web browsing, writing e-mails and documents, doing spreadsheet calculations, ripping music CDs to MP3 format, and working with digital photographs. One great exception must be mentioned: computer games. There are far fewer of them for Linux than for Windows, although the number for Linux is growing. Since I don't play many computer games, I find the natural security of Linux an easy trade-off."

So I agree with all this, though I must point out on flaw in the whole "don't use Windows" security scheme ("Security through ignoring the market leader"): The reason Linux (and Mac) machines don't get hijacked is that no one uses them. Windows is in use on over 95 percent of all Internet-connected computers, so it makes an obvious target. If everyone follows the "don't use Windows" approach, then these other platforms will simply become the new places to attack. On the other hand, that day is, perhaps, far off, and may never happen. It's funny to me that Windows has become the AOL of the OS world: It's like people using Windows are wearing a target that says "shoot me."

Also, it's worth comparing the educated opinion of the guy that wrote this article with the boobery I mentioned the other day. Apparently not everyone writing to the masses is a complete idiot.

[ Posted at 10:59 AM | Permalink ]