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Re: OS X, iOS and Linux have more vulnerabilities than Windows

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  Re: OS X, iOS and Linux have more vulnerabilities than Windows Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2015-12-10 08:26 +0000

#6037 — Re: OS X, iOS and Linux have more vulnerabilities than Windows

On 10/12/15 04:23, Ramine wrote:
> Hello,
>
> OS X, iOS and Linux have more vulnerabilities than Windows

Ha! In other news:

* 1 is prime;
* perpetual motion was discovered in 1958 but the Government is hushing 
it up;
* politicians really do know what's best for you.

(Furrfu.)

Now, here's what the article *should* have said:

OPEN SOURCE MORE OPEN THAN WINDOWS (or DOG BITES MAN)
The National Vulnerability Database has recorded more security 
vulnerabilities for open source software than for Windows software. This 
will come as no surprise to those who realise that open source 
software's source code is open (hence the name), and therefore can be 
(and is) readily inspected. Consequently, a lot of people read the 
source just for the heck of it, and occasionally they notice security 
problems, which they then report. Good! That helps keep open source 
software secure.
Disassembling and studying Microsoft's binaries is *hard work*, however, 
and also illegal in some jurisdictions. Consequently, just about the 
only people that know about Windows's vulnerabilities are the Bad Guys 
(i.e. people who can, and are prepared to, earn a *LOT* of money from 
going to the much bigger trouble that it takes to find vulnerabilities 
when you don't have the source).

I hope that helps those of you planning your operating system choices 
for 2016.

-- 
Richard Heathfield
Email: rjh at cpax dot org dot uk
"Usenet is a strange place" - dmr 29 July 1999
Sig line 4 vacant - apply within

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