Windows more secure than Linux?

Sam Jarawan just sent me a link to a Tom’s Hardware report that discusses some research from a Linux enthusiast that suggests that windows is more secure than Linux:

A Linux enthusiast at the RSA Conference in San Francisco has reluctantly concluded that Microsoft produces more secure code than its open source rivals.

In an academic study due to be released next month Dr Richard Ford, from the Florida Institute of Technology, and Dr Herbert Thompson, from application security firm Security Innovation, analysed vulnerabilities and patching and were forced to conclude that Windows Server 2003 is more secure than Red Hat Linux.

It might seem like this has been a long time coming, but the changes at Microsoft over the last few years to put Security at the top of our agendas are paying off. Michael Howard’s initiatives have made a dramatic difference to development across the entire company.

Comments

• Anonymous
  February 17, 2005
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  February 17, 2005
  I read on www.chip.de Windows more secure than Linux on the test. But Linux does not interest hackers because it is not popular.
• Anonymous
  February 17, 2005
  OSS guys just don't like admitting they have a security problem!
• Anonymous
  February 17, 2005
  Biggest flaw in the study - They compared Redhat Linux which is a 2.5Gb distro with tons and tons of software packages against Windows with it's limited amount of software. So if you compare the ratio of bugs/packages then Linux wins hands down.
• Anonymous
  February 17, 2005
  The Microsoft guys just don't like admitting they have a credibility problem.
• Anonymous
  February 27, 2005
  for sure windows are a lot more secure than a few years ago. However, redhat linux is a mini-microsoft. They want to stick to release cycles so they release even when not fully secure d the code. I believe this study, if its related to redhat. If you compare to some other linux distros (like debian stable for example) I doubt that windows is more secure
  
  my 2c
• Anonymous
  March 18, 2005
  What is really funny is one month later (the 16th and 17th of March) this has popped up again all over the place - pumped is not a word I would use for it - where is the report is what I ask so that we may see the report. <br><br>&lt;a href =&quot;<a target="_new" href="http://www.electricnews.net/frontpage/news-9588988.html&quot;&gt;">http://www.electricnews.net/frontpage/news-9588988.html&quot;&gt;</a> ENN in Ireland&lt;/a&gt;<br>&lt;a href=&quot;<a target="_new" href="http://www.radioactif.com/technologie/2427/windows-server-2003-mieux-que-enterprise-serveur-de-red-hat.html&quot;&lt;French">http://www.radioactif.com/technologie/2427/windows-server-2003-mieux-que-enterprise-serveur-de-red-hat.html&quot;&lt;French</a> site&lt;/A&gt;<br>&lt;a href=&quot;<a target="_new" href="http://www.hebei.com.cn/node2/node17/node1073/userobject1ai302007.html&quot;&gt;">http://www.hebei.com.cn/node2/node17/node1073/userobject1ai302007.html&quot;&gt;</a> China site&lt;/a&gt;<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Paul O'Malley