Another silly question

[Michael L Torrie]

On Wed, 2004-01-21 at 07:03, Norberto Quintanar wrote:

> I agree that there is no know spyware for linux.  I was just having
> this discussion with some friends over the weekend and some argue the
> root versus user wall.  Others argue that since Linux is opensource
> if you were to find spyware code you could just delete it.  I think
> it's easier than that.  Linux just doesn't have the market share to
> appeal to marketers of spyware.  4% of the computer market just isn't
> feasible.  Having said that, if any flavor of linux ever became a
> strong market share holder, lookout.

Although this is true, there is one aspect of the web that would seem to
lend credence to the idea that linux popularily will not lead to an
explosion of viruses and spyware.  That is the fact that almost 3/4 of
all web servers out there run apache.  Yet automated exploits seem to
target IIS exclusively.  Definitely when there's a weakness in apache,
it is exploited for a while, but not usually in a virus fashion but
rather with worms.  Something else to consider is the fact that for many
many years (during which we had a plethora of dos and windows viruses),
the bulk of computers on the internet were unix, but have never ever had
problems with viruses.  I do expect worm activity to increase on linux,
mainly due to social engineering.  Judging by your average windows user,
this is a scary thing, except that it can be mitigated to a very large
degree by good distro makers such as YellowDog.  Also, any virus that
tries to target Linux will only succeed on x86, for example, and leave
PPC alone.  Anyway, education and diversity are always a good
combination.

> 
> =====
> --Norberto Quintanar 
> 
> "You belong to something bigger. From birth. And your life is spent rediscovering the underlying principles, through various players -- coaches, mentors, teachers, spouses, kids. It's in your genes. Your responsibility. Destiny. Is all on you.  Lead, follow, or get out of the way."  
> --Norberto Quintanar
> 
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-- 
Michael L Torrie <torriem@chem.byu.edu>