Referencing: Attracting Attackers: Windows vs. Unix
Paul Murphy's Linux Insider article points out a major difference between Windows security attacks and Unix/Linux: Windows usually has a profit motive behind it while Unix/Linux usually doesn't. He also notes:
The bottom-line difference is that essentially all Unix attacks currently considered likely to succeed require legal access, while those on Windows uniformly don't.
It is true (and Paul hints at this) that there may be opportunistic Unix attacks now and then. You have to wonder how many of the incidents like BJ's credit card losses were specifically targeted: was it "let's crack BJ's no matter what OS they run" or was it "Hmm, here's someone running something with a weakness I can exploit". I suspect it's much more of the latter, and of course that usually means Windows.
The attitude that it's "just popularity" just took a well deserved hit from this article.
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More Articles by Tony Lawrence © 2012-06-15 Tony Lawrence
It is not only that there is no hiding place for the gods from the searching telescope and microscope; there is no such society any more as the gods once supported. (Joseph Campbell)
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Profit vs. vandalism in security attacks Copyright © August 2004 Tony Lawrence
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