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Computer Viruses Cripple Colorado DMV
Mr. Christmas Lights writes "The Denver Post has written the last three days (Tue, Wed, Thu) about how computer viruses have crippled the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicle's computers since last Friday. This has prevented them from issuing new/renewed licenses, so they are providing 30-day extension stickers. The 'dozen experts' have decided that 'fresh software' is the best way to remedy it - probably means re-installing Windows, but have they considered Linux? Colorado seems to be having its share of problems - today's article mentions the Zinc Whiskers issue several months ago that knocked the the Colorado secretary of state offline for a couple of weeks. And it could only get worse as the JPEG exploit starts showing up in the wild."
Replace all the machines with Linux!! Then you are still open to the myriad of remote linux exploits... and instead of them just being one more tick in a zombie network that nobody really cares about, someone who's really looking for something will be in. On top of that you get to buy all new software for all of your programs (if there even is any) or hire someone to write all new apps in house (better keep that number handy, with every new release there's a chance it could break).
:)
I'm a firm believer in linux on the server (actually more towards fbsd myself) but it's not the end all be-all solution to all problems. And I re-iterate, when linux reaches critical mass you will start seeing viruses for it as well.
*disclaimer my grammar and or spelling may suck, deal
Getting tired of hearing "have they considered Linux" every time a Windows exploit makes the news. While Linux is (arguably) architecturally more secure than Windows, all this really endorses is a variant of security through obscurity, and I thought "security through obscurity is bad" was mantra #2 around here. The greatest security advantage that Linux offers is that it is a relatively small target. When/If Linux is ever as widely deployed as Windows, it will be just as big a target, and probably just as commonly exploited.
Wonder why so many of them are unemployed?
Would you hire an "IT professional" who's answer to every single problem was "throw it all away and start from scratch with my favorite OS?"
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
Please excuse my troll but I'm absolutely sick of /.er's constantly attacking Microsoft and expounding the virtues of Linux. Although I have no hard evidence to suggest the following, it is my conclusion based on my understanding of human nature. The reason that Linux virii don't run loose in the wild is people have no reason to create virii for Linux. 90% of people are on Microsoft systems (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/999634/p osts) thus people with malicious intent scour microsoft products for exploits. Malware/Adware has become a big business and finding exploits helps to facilitate that business. Such a small percentage of people use Linux that there is no reason for people to find exploits, I sincerely doubt it has anything to do with them not being there.
This all being said, I have no problem with Linux. I tool around with it at home, but as an IT Professional I know it is NOT the solution to my companies problems. A great deal of software we use is not compatible with it and our clients software is not compatible with it either. Simply changing the Colorado DMV over to Linux would be a TERRIBLE solution. Although the OS would cost no money, the money it'd cost to build appropriate software, train employees and transfers all the systems over to the new systems would be ASTRONOMICAL.
Linux is great, but it's not the holy grail.