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Is the Linux Desktop less secure than Windows 10? [pdf]

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Re: Is the Linux Desktop less secure than Windows 10? [pdf]

#12

I mean, the answer is unequivocally, without the slightest doubt, yes. The Linux Desktop is probably a good 5-10yrs behind Windows 10 in terms of defense-in-depth mitigations as well as exploits in common targets like file parsers etc etc. https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-Weston-W... is a good reference for all the stuff that Desktop Linux in 2017 is for the most part, missing

The thing with the Linux Desktop is that you can selectively enable SELinux, use PaX etc. and have security comparable to, if not better, than Windows 10, plus the fact that Linux is a much more varied attack surface still applies.

Or you can do nothing, in which case you're probably less secure.

Re: Is the Linux Desktop less secure than Windows 10? [pdf]

#14

I mean, the answer is unequivocally, without the slightest doubt, yes. The Linux Desktop is probably a good 5-10yrs behind Windows 10 in terms of defense-in-depth mitigations as well as exploits in common targets like file parsers etc etc. https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-Weston-W... is a good reference for all the stuff that Desktop Linux in 2017 is for the most part, missing

The thing with the Linux Desktop is that you can selectively enable SELinux, use PaX etc. and have security comparable to, if not better, than Windows 10, plus the fact that Linux is a much more varied attack surface still applies. Or you can do nothing, in which case you're probably less secure.

Where's a good place to get a general guide on every day desktop use of SELinux, PaX, etc?

Re: Is the Linux Desktop less secure than Windows 10? [pdf]

#15

I mean, the answer is unequivocally, without the slightest doubt, yes. The Linux Desktop is probably a good 5-10yrs behind Windows 10 in terms of defense-in-depth mitigations as well as exploits in common targets like file parsers etc etc. https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-Weston-W... is a good reference for all the stuff that Desktop Linux in 2017 is for the most part, missing

The thing with the Linux Desktop is that you can selectively enable SELinux, use PaX etc. and have security comparable to, if not better, than Windows 10, plus the fact that Linux is a much more varied attack surface still applies. Or you can do nothing, in which case you're probably less secure.

Sure, extremely motivated individuals or governments might do that. But I'd still rate a distribution by it's default security settings. Being secure by default is important if you are shipping to thousands of users.

Re: Is the Linux Desktop less secure than Windows 10? [pdf]

#18

I believe in sandboxing, I hope it gets better and easier to use. I work on several C programs. I wish for the day when we have an easy to use, cross platform method of setting up a small set of open files at the start of a program, then be able to say "No more file access, no more network connections". I know this hides a whole bunch of complication, which is why it's hard and why there are so many ways to do it --…

"Better", but similar, would be to move to OS with the Object Capability model. Applications don't get access-by-default with security bolted on afterward, they get access to the objects they're initially granted and no way whatsoever to access anything beyond that.

Sadly that's a huge change in programming and security model for most and wouldn't be an easy change to make.

Re: Is the Linux Desktop less secure than Windows 10? [pdf]

#19

I mean, the answer is unequivocally, without the slightest doubt, yes. The Linux Desktop is probably a good 5-10yrs behind Windows 10 in terms of defense-in-depth mitigations as well as exploits in common targets like file parsers etc etc. https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-Weston-W... is a good reference for all the stuff that Desktop Linux in 2017 is for the most part, missing

Maybe I'm not rational but I'm much more worried about Microsoft having access to my data than some random "Russian" hacker.

Re: Is the Linux Desktop less secure than Windows 10? [pdf]

#20

I mean, the answer is unequivocally, without the slightest doubt, yes. The Linux Desktop is probably a good 5-10yrs behind Windows 10 in terms of defense-in-depth mitigations as well as exploits in common targets like file parsers etc etc. https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-Weston-W... is a good reference for all the stuff that Desktop Linux in 2017 is for the most part, missing

Maybe I'm not rational but I'm much more worried about Microsoft having access to my data than some random "Russian" hacker.

Yes, that does not exactly strike me as a rational stance to take. Are you actually more worried about Microsoft blackmailing you about those photos from 4 years ago?
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