Security Pipeline | News | Survey Finds Linux Hacks Rare

[Price Technology]

<URL: http://www.securitypipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=26100437  
>  
But then, isn't that one of the reasons we use it in the first place ??

Joebewan

PS.  If I get negative feedback from this post, I promise I won't do it  
again.

[Jeff Vian]

On Thu, 2004-07-29 at 19:26, Price Technology wrote:
>  <URL:
> http://www.securitypipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=26100437  
>  >
>  
>  But then, isn't that one of the reasons we use it in the first place ??
>  
>  Joebewan
>   
Exactly so!!!

Although I have had one system hacked, it was my own stupidity.
Directly connected to the internet with no firewall running and lots of
services open for attack.

I learned and have not been touched (knock on wood) for over 7 years
now.

>  PS.  If I get negative feedback from this post, I promise I won't
> do it  
>  again.
>   
ROFLMAO!!

[Jim Cornette]

Jeff Vian wrote:
>  On Thu, 2004-07-29 at 19:26, Price Technology wrote:
>  
> ><URL: http://www.securitypipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=26100437  
> >
> >But then, isn't that one of the reasons we use it in the first place ??
> >
> >Joebewan
> >
>  
>  
>  Exactly so!!!
>  
>  Although I have had one system hacked, it was my own stupidity.
>  Directly connected to the internet with no firewall running and lots of
>  services open for attack.
>  
>  I learned and have not been touched (knock on wood) for over 7 years
>  now.
>  
>  
> >PS.  If I get negative feedback from this post, I promise I won't do it  
> >again. 
Anyone familiar with an exploit where someone uses postgresql and sends 
root's emails to an alias address.

I've seen this on a machine on a heavily congested LAN, not my own 
computers but a test machine.

If not, what type of exploits can be done with these tools? Mailman 
references were also noticed. Is this a spammers trick?


Jim

-- 
Your object is to save the world, while still leading a pleasant life.

[Tom Mitchell]

On Thu, Jul 29, 2004 at 07:48:09PM -0500, Jeff Vian wrote:
>  On Thu, 2004-07-29 at 19:26, Price Technology wrote: 
>  > <URL:
> http://www.securitypipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=26100437  
>  > >
>  > 
>  > But then, isn't that one of the reasons we use it in the first place ??
>  > 
>  > Joebewan 
>  Exactly so!!!
>  
>  Although I have had one system hacked, it was my own stupidity.
>  Directly connected to the internet with no firewall running and lots of
>  services open for attack. 
This article presents some statistics that show that Linux is more 
secure to various hacks...

I wanted to gloat at a couple of levels but that is not in order.

The vast majority of us are computer literate.  That helps...  and
alone may cover the fact that so few of the linux boxes had been
'hacked'.

My personal and corp WindowZ boxes (knock on wood) have not had
trouble but I work at it.  Windows updates are and were a daily
task... 

Linux is getting more friendly.  This permits less educated users to
use it.  As the community grows I suspect our task is to constantly
improve this tool of ours as well as educate a growing number in how
to use it safely.


-- 
	T o m  M i t c h e l l 
	Just say no to 74LS73 in 2004

[Price Technology]

On Fri, 2004-08-06 at 00:22, Nifty Hat Mitch wrote:
>  On Thu, Jul 29, 2004 at 07:48:09PM -0500, Jeff Vian wrote:
>  > On Thu, 2004-07-29 at 19:26, Price Technology wrote:
>  
>  > > <URL: http://www.securitypipeline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=26100437 
>
>  > > >
>  > > 
>  > > But then, isn't that one of the reasons we use it in the first place ??
>  > > 
>  > > Joebewan
>  
>  > Exactly so!!!
>  > 
>  > Although I have had one system hacked, it was my own stupidity.
>  > Directly connected to the internet with no firewall running and lots of
>  > services open for attack.
>  
>  This article presents some statistics that show that Linux is more 
>  secure to various hacks...
>  
>  I wanted to gloat at a couple of levels but that is not in order.
>  
>  The vast majority of us are computer literate.  That helps...  and
>  alone may cover the fact that so few of the linux boxes had been
>  'hacked'.
>  
>  My personal and corp WindowZ boxes (knock on wood) have not had
>  trouble but I work at it.  Windows updates are and were a daily
>  task... 
>  
>  Linux is getting more friendly.  This permits less educated users to
>  use it.  As the community grows I suspect our task is to constantly
>  improve this tool of ours as well as educate a growing number in how
>  to use it safely.
>   
I think you've hit the  nail right on the head.  I too have had no
"hacking" problems on my winders boxes, and as long as my customers
"behave themselves" neither do they for the most part.

I am concerned that when Linux becomes more user friendly and we have a
greater number of less educated users, the statistics may change.

As such we as a community need to do all we can to help new users by
simplifying our explanations and answers.  It doesn't help a newbie much
when we tell him or her to proceed to a command line and / or rewrite a
config file when they're already intimidated enough as it is.  If
there's a gui tool that will get the job done, let's point them that
way.

Joebewan