These ain't bugs I'm talking about, you need to run as root to do a lot
of necessary things in UNIX. If you have to ask the system admin for
permission, or have the system admin do it then you're 1.) in an office
environment where the most anyone ever does is run existing scrips,
spread sheets, or word processors. 2.) in an environment where nothing
gets done and everyone is out to kill the system administrator.
Therefore some method of getting to Root without entering a password is
left open, usually many are. A dedicated hacker _will_ find them. If
you want to talk about bugs, well some security holes will exist no
matter what, simply because they haven't been discovered yet. Some will
be created when a fix to something else is made. Unix/Linux isn't any
more likely to be fixed before the problem is found than is any version
of Windows. The only difference is that 1.) there are a lot of people
out to get Bill Gates, 2.) There are a lot of Windows systems to
practice on, 3.) It's much easier to propagate a virus if you have a
very high density of users and systems.
Graywolf wrote:
There is no such thing as a pick proof lock.
There is no such thing as hack proof software.
If someone can do it, someone can undo it.
I used to hear this "its a known bug in Linux" stuff, to which I
usually replied, "a known bug in Linux has a life expectancy of two
weeks". Basically the Linux community got right to fixing it as soon
as it was found. These days, who knows?
Unix, all flavors, is as safe as the sys-admin is competent. The thing
with open source software like Linux is that it can be fixed by anyone
who knows how to program. You don't have to wait for Bill Gates to
milk the corporations as much as possible before it gets fixed.
So yes there are virus that attack Unix, including Mac OS X, but
usually the OS gets fixed instead of having to buy expensive
anti-virus software to protect the system. But once again it is the
sys-admin's job to see that the fix is added. Unix and other
multi-user OS's are intended to be administered by a knowledgable
professional. Often they are not, but that is hardly the OS's fault.
Apple has it easy. They sell a package deal. They do not support
anything but that package. Anything in the computer that is not from
Apple is your problem, period. With PC's it is anybody's guess what is
in the box (unless you build it yourself) that makes it much harder to
support, but gives the buyer a lot more choices.
It is not a case of better, it is just a case of different.
graywolf
http://www.graywolfphoto.com
"Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof"
-----------------------------------
P. J. Alling wrote:
I'm an old Unix Hacker, there are lots of ways to get things in Unix
to run as Root. I'm not going to explain more, other people have
published descriptions in books and on the Web. If you're curious
look it up.
Joaquim Carvalho wrote:
P. J. Alling wrote:
I expect so. Linux and various flavors of Unix have their own
brands of Viri, (I know not the proper plural of Virus but hey it's
a mailing list),. Most virus writers these days depend on "kits".
I expect to see a few for the Mac real soon now.
I ask again where did you hear about viruses for Linux or any other
flavour of Unix.
On any UNIX (Linux, BSD, Mac OS X or any other) a process needs to
be running as ROOT do do any damage to the system. (a would-be virus
would have to ask: "Please type in the root password for this
system") This is the reason why UNIX is safe and Windows isn't. If
you don't work for Microsoft you shouldn't spread their FUD (Fear,
Uncertanty and Doubt) Of course any software you run on UNIX can
have access to your /home directory but that's as far as it goes.
--
A man's only as old as the woman he feels.
--Groucho Marx
