[AusNOG] (bad) cyber security and ideas coming out of the woodwork?!

[Sean K. Finn]

I have to butt in here, hosting one metric ** tonne of servers, it's the *nix ones that get compromised more often than our windows ones. (I know, because AusCert sends me emails every time one is compromised.).

The Windows Vs Linux Debate is dead. Both are as bad as one another for compromises.

Home users running Windows get targeted, and server farms running *nix get targeted just as easily.

Before someone starts bashing the macs-are-safe bandwagon, BSD and Mac OsX Servers are just as likely to get attacked / rootkitted / compromised / dial home to a botnet.

Having a software dependant package installed on ANY machine that is considered the target is just bad karma. It just doesn't work, and unless it stays ahead of the pack, the software will be specifically targeted and disabled as part of any smart malware attack.

S


-----Original Message-----
From: ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net [mailto:ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net] On Behalf Of Mark Newton
Sent: Thursday, 24 June 2010 1:25 PM
To: Zane Jarvis
Cc: ausnog at ausnog.net
Subject: Re: [AusNOG] (bad) cyber security and ideas coming out of the woodwork?!


On 24/06/2010, at 12:15 PM, Zane Jarvis wrote:

> If everyone in Australia switches to *NIX (or anything else) then the
> criminals will just spend more resources targeting that.

You think?  I reckon most botnet operators couldn't care less where
their targets are physically located, and they'll just keep attacking
windows boxes in other jurisdictions instead. :-)

(my burglar alarm doesn't prevent my stuff from being stolen, but the
stickers on the windows make my next door neighbours' houses more
attractive targets :)

Interesting thought experiment, though.;

 -  mark


--
Mark Newton                               Email:  newton at internode.com.au (W)
Network Engineer                          Email:  newton at atdot.dotat.org  (H)
Internode Pty Ltd                         Desk:   +61-8-82282999
"Network Man" - Anagram of "Mark Newton"  Mobile: +61-416-202-223





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