On May 31, 2010, at 9:10 PM, Kiran K Karthikeyan wrote: > Isn't the lack of mainstream use the main reason Apple and Linux don't see as > many attacks? Therefore, if all of Google were on Apple and Linux, I guess > there is enough reason for a hacker to build up his skills on those OSes?
The problem with this line of reasoning is that Linux (with a gaggle of UNIX friends in tow) are the mainstream operating system for Internet-connected servers. On top of that, a lot of the network hardware like routers and core switches also run embedded BSD or Linux for services. It isn't as visible as client operating systems but if it was purely a matter of network reach then Linux would be a high-value target. In the data center, Linux is ubiquitous. This does not logically imply a difference in basic secureness; it could also be that the differing distributions in use cases that make a Windows client a more valuable target. For example, if you want to data mine address books then hacking Linux may not be the best target.
