Survey shows Linux more secure than Windows

Over 6 000 software development managers were polled for the first Security Issues survey prior to the Software Security Summit in California and the majority polled say Linux is more secure than Windows.

Asked to rate the security of server operating environments against operating system-related hacks and exploits, Windows Server fared worst by far. Some 58% rated Windows Server very insecure or insecure, versus 13% for Linux. Sun Solaris fared best, with only 6% rating the operating system very insecure or insecure.

On the positive side, some 74% of respondents rated Linux secure or very secure versus only 38% for Windows Server. Sun Solaris was rated secure or very secure by 66%.

ZDNet reports just a week after the US Department of Justice reached an anti-trust settlement with Microsoft, the company was discussing internally how to "whack" OEM partner Dell for its support of open source operating systems. The e-mails have come to light as evidence in the anti-trust case in Iowa.

"Bill Veghte, now a company VP, described a panel discussion he recently attended in which a Dell executive boasted the company was the top distributor of the open source operating system among equipment manufacturers, and was committed to seeing that position grow," says ZDNet.

"Veghte and others went on to express concern about the competitive threat potentially posed by Linux and Red Hat: 'We should whack them, we should make sure they understand our value,' wrote Paul Flessner, a senior VP in Microsoft's server applications unit." Microsoft spokespeople have said the e-mail exchange only tells part of the story.

IBM has released Identity Mixer, a tool to facilitate anonymous online commerce, to the open source community. It allows shoppers to purchase items without revealing key details that could be intercepted by fraudsters.

"With IBM's Identity Mixer security software, consumers wishing to purchase an item online can obtain an encrypted software 'token' from their bank or credit card company. The encoded token will confirm the consumer has the necessary funds for the transaction, but will not reveal specific financial details or personal data to the merchant. The merchant will then reconcile the transaction with the bank, which will have to have software that works with Identity Mixer," says InformationWeek.

IBM released the technology to the open source software community through the Higgins Project ‑ an industry-wide effort sponsored by The Eclipse Foundation to create privacy technology based on open standards.