UNIX Security: Don't Believe the Truth?

OSNews has an interesting editorial about security on UNIX-like systems. "One of the biggest reasons for many people to switch to a UNIX desktop, away from Windows, is security. It is fairly common knowledge that UNIX-like systems are more secure than Windows. Whether this is true or not will not be up for debate in this short editorial; I will simply assume UNIX-like systems are more secure, for the sake of argument. However, how much is that increased security really worth for an average home user, when you break it down? According to me, fairly little"

Comments

A bit of a stretch

[Billosaur]

But what is more important to a home user? His or her own personal files, or a bunch of system files? I can answer that question for you: the pictures of little Johnny's first day of school mean a whole lot more to a user than the system files that keep the system running. Of course, they should make backups-- but wasn't Linux supposed to be secure? So why should they backup? Isn't Linux immune to viruses and what not? Isn't that what the Linux world has been telling them?

It begs the question, why would you store things like personal pictures, music, and such in your home directory rather than on some other media? If you're expecting nothing bad to happen, no matter what operating system you choose to use, then you're being foolish.

Besides, I don't think the Linux community has been stating that Linux is "bulletproof" but more that it's better than Windows at security. As the number of Windows-related vulnerabilities increases, this will become more important to the home user, who isn't going to to worry just about the destruction of their personal files, but the taking of their personal data.

Re:Backup

[xtracto]

Then I would recommend you setting up an NON ADMINISTRATION privileged account on any system she uses.

The only real difference between Windows and all Unix flavors now is that the first gives administrator privileges to its users by DEFAULT, and *promotes* the use of the computer with them, while the last (all unix flavors including Linux and BSDs) promotes the contrary.

I think Windows is less secure than say, Mandriva on the same way that Mandriva is less secure than OpenBSD, they just leave the more "dangerous" services/tools disabled by default.