15 replies to this topic

[Nvyseal]

Microsoft is frequently dinged for having insecure products, with security holes and vulnerabilities. But Symantec (Quote), no friend of Microsoft, said in its latest research report that when it comes to widely-used operating systems, Microsoft is doing better overall than its leading commercial competitors.

The information was a part of Symantec's 11th Internet Security Threat Report. The report, released this week, covered a huge range of security and vulnerability issues over the last six months of 2006, including operating systems.

The report found that Microsoft (Quote) Windows had the fewest number of patches and the shortest average patch development time of the five operating systems it monitored in the last six months of 2006.

During this period, 39 vulnerabilities, 12 of which were ranked high priority or severe, were found in Microsoft Windows and the company took an average of 21 days to fix them. It's an increase of the 22 vulnerabilities and 13-day turnaround time for the first half of 2006 but still bested the competition handily.

Red Hat Linux was the next-best performer, requiring an average of 58 days to address a total of 208 vulnerabilities. However, this was a significant increase in both problems and fix time over the first half of 2006, when there were 42 vulnerabilities in Red Hat and the average turnaround was 13 days.

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[Camaro]

I dont think I would trust the makers of Norton any farther then I would Microsofts Security.

[Red Hawk]

Very interesting. I'm guessing that they tested Vista. If this report is legit thats really good news for Microsoft. Have to wait and see if any other reports say the same thing.

[brewin]

In other news, Microsoft just bought software security company Symantec for an undisclosed amount. More at 11:00.



But seriously, they didn't even test OpenBSD. It's only had two security vulnerabilities in the last ten years.

[Christopholofigus]

brewin, on Mar 23 2007, 01:38 PM, said:

In other news, Microsoft just bought software security company Symantec for an undisclosed amount. More at 11:00.
But seriously, they didn't even test OpenBSD. It's only had two security vulnerabilities in the last ten years.

yeah, and you and scara were the ones who took advantage of them (and then later disclosed them to obsd for a cookie) :crazy:

[chriso_86]

I never did like Symantec. To much bloat ware, seems to slow a system down a lot in my opinion.

[VROSA]

chriso_86, on Mar 23 2007, 07:12 PM, said:

I never did like Symantec. To much bloat ware, seems to slow a system down a lot in my opinion.

Thats true, Norton real-time scan engine sucks !



AVG for Vista and XP is the way to go for me

[i++]

Especially AVG Free vrosa.

About the topic, i don't care who is on the first place.
For me the best OS is that one that fits better with my needs .
And it's non sense to compare Windows Vista with BSD , because this is like two different things. You are not going to switch from Vista to BSD because BSD doesn't have vulnerabilities, are ya ?
To compare Vista with a RedHat, thats another question .

[brewin]

i++, on Mar 26 2007, 12:56 PM, said:

And it's non sense to compare Windows Vista with BSD , because this is like two different things. You are not going to switch from Vista to BSD because BSD doesn't have vulnerabilities, are ya ?
To compare Vista with a RedHat, thats another question .

They compared Vista to HP-UX. BSD is more comparable to Vista than HP-UX.

[Nvyseal]

Another bit if information about vista sales...

Microsoft: Windows Vista sales rate double that of XP

On March 26, Microsoft released its internal sales figures for the first month of Windows Vista. Microsoft said it has sold in excess of 20 million Vista licenses in the first month of latest Windows client's general availability.

That figure includes Vista licenses preloaded on new PCs, upgrades, copies sold through the Vista Express Upgrade program and full packaged prdouct sold at retail between January 30 and February 28. According to Microsoft, that is more than double the initial sales pace for Windows XP.

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[i++]

brewin, on Mar 26 2007, 09:17 PM, said:

They compared Vista to HP-UX. BSD is more comparable to Vista than HP-UX.

That's already their problem, that means that this review is not well done and the results doesn't say anything about The Most Secure OS acording to todays list of Operating Systems.

[m.oreilly]

"...that when it comes to widely-used operating systems, Microsoft is doing better overall than its leading commercial competitors."
i think this line explains the results. lots more users of xp/2000/server, etc., along with the versions of linux represented than others, i would guess...
(read more commercialy "popular" rather than "secure" for the initial choices.)

[DavARei]

Now, by 'Secure', do they mean 'Self Secure'?
Or maybe, 'Secure in the knowledge' that ... there's going to be an upcoming security patch?

Cause I can't believe they mean 'least likely to be hacked' secure.

OOOOOOO. I know. 'Secure' in the knowledge ..........
..........Darn. Lost it.

Guess my brain housing isn't as secure as M$

Edited by DavARei, 27 March 2007 - 11:42 PM.

[Nvyseal]

DavARei, on Mar 27 2007, 04:39 PM, said:

Now, by 'Secure', do they mean 'Self Secure'?
Or maybe, 'Secure in the knowledge' that ... there's going to be an upcoming security patch?

Cause I can't believe they mean 'least likely to be hacked' secure.

OOOOOOO. I know. 'Secure' in the knowledge ..........
..........Darn. Lost it.

Guess my brain housing isn't as secure as M$

[m.oreilly]

they are pointing to the patches made available and the speed with which they are dispensed, i think...