Is Linux really more secure than Windows?
NewsFactor | at | by Mike
Mainframe operating systems, which have been perfected over decades, have very few security flaws. Security problems on mainframes tend to be caused by administrators' errors. Likewise, Unix, which has been popular since the 1970s, has also had most of its bugs shaken out. Newer operating environments like Windows and Linux, on the other hand, tend to have more flaws than those that have been thoroughly dissected. A large number of Windows problems are surfacing, in part because of the program's age and in part because of the number of people using Windows.
Linux, which is even newer than Windows and is not controlled by a single commercial entity, can be expected to have even more vulnerabilities than Windows. Hemmendinger commented, "I see a lot more stuff coming across BugTraq [about Linux] than any flavor of Unix or any Microsoft operating system." BugTraq is a popular forum for discussion of computer security vulnerabilities. It is moderated by SecurityFocus, now a division of security firm Symantec.