this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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@zwekihoyy If you look at any botnet on the net, it's going to be 99.999% windows machines, always. If you look at machines compromised by Ransomeware, that happens to Linux but rare, common on Windows. Windows is like a 20 year old asphalt road, patches upon patches.
this idea lies on a complete misunderstanding. Linux, without extensive hardening efforts, is ootb much more insecure than either Windows or macos
I know this isn't Reddit, but r/peopleliveincities... When 90% of desktop users use Windows, it's going to both be the most targeted by malware developers and have the highest chance of being operated by someone who doesn't understand enough about computers to recognize that the shiny calculator app that just popped up after visiting a very legit Nigerian prince's crowdfunding page probably shouldn't need admin access.
And speaking of user error, I'm willing to bet that basic security practices like using full disk encryption, SecureBoot, some MAC layer (provided by antivirus on Windows, AppArmor/SELinux on Linux) and regularly applying security updates are way more common over in the Windows land - if I was in a situation where there was one completely randomly selected Windows PC and one also completely randomly selected Linux PC, and my life depended on being able to gain access to either of them (some kind of really messed up Saw trap? idk), I would definitely bet my life on the Linux one being misconfigured.
Don't get me wrong, Linux can make for a very secure and private OS, but most installs most definitely cannot be described as such - just look at the popularity of random unverified PPAs on Ubuntu derivatives or AUR packages on Arch.
@Markaos Well I have a dual boot system, Linux / Windows 10, and have for decades, other versions of Windows but dual boot none-the less. The old days before grub used to chain-load from the windows boot-loader (ick) but over those years I've probably had to reload windows owing to malware I could not excise at least once a year. I've never had to do this, ever, with Linux.
this owes to the fact that windows simply has exponentially more users and is therefore more valuable to target.
@zwekihoyy Yea I've heard that excuse but on the Internet there are infinitely more Linux servers and still Windows is more often compromised. I think it has more to do with thousands of eyes on the code submitting bug reports and fixes.
do some research or something jesus lmao. Linux servers, on average, are much higher profile entities to target, typically has more eyes watching them for problems, and technically literate people administrating them. meanwhile your typical windows machine is used by non technical, every day users who do very little proper security practices and threat mitigations.
you get a better ROI targeting windows users than you do, Linux users. it's really not difficult to understand