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What Gordon says and.... GNU/Linux was never terribly secure, it was much better than Windows XP but that doesn't say much. Microsoft Windows has better security features, in that if you want to build a hardened office network with encrypted disks and data secured away from the prying eyes of system admins, it is much quicker and easier with Microsoft Windows that GNU/Linux (although Novell and others will sell you equivalent tools). Most people don't use such features. Whilst the linux kernel and GNU utils are extremely good code by most standards the typical quality of code around is much lower and unless you take action to mitigate those weaknesses exploitation by technical means will remain possible (and relatively easy). Much of the remaining technical edge of GNU/Linux stems from relative simplicity. There are somethings you can use to extend the lead like SElinux. My concern is that lead through simplicity is rapidly being eroded, as more bloat accumulates, and systems try and do too much. I suspect GNU/Linux will disappear with MS Windows, as Android and other "simplified" systems offering better security arrive. I'm not sure Android is offering better security but certainly that each app declares it needs, and auto-updates, allows Android in principle to offer better security than either GNU/Linux or MS Windows. -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/listfaq