As before, this year was full of mixed opinions about whether Linux is more secure than Windows. A survey found developers to be more inclined to Linux than Windows XP, some say Linux is more prone to security problems while others wouldn't agree.

Back in August Linux was certified by the Common Criteria organization to be used on sensitive computers in the US and that means it's starting to invade Windows territory. No wonder Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is saying that Windows is as secure as Linux.

When asked about Windows vs. Linux security, Gagne says: "Frankly, it seems incredible that this is even open to debate. To suggest that Windows is inherently more or as secure is almost too silly to even comment on. One need only read the newspapers, listen to the radio, watch television or work in an office where Windows is widely used. Of course Linux is more secure, and it has nothing to do with Microsoft's market penetration. It has to do with a better approach to software development. It doesn't hurt that at its very core, Linux is designed with security in mind. No need here for launching a security initiative after years of neglect."

"I don't want to imply that there is no such thing as a security hole in the Linux world or that worms have never spread from one Linux system to another, but quite frankly, the risks are just not that high. Modern Linux distributions take security very seriously, installing firewalls as part of a standard installation. The open source development model insures that Linux code is open to scrutiny at the most basic level. There is no such openness in the Windows world." Gagne added.


High-profile breaches

Linux security has been scrutinized in the news lately with high-profile breaches surrounding the Debian Project and Gentoo Linux. Despite these happenings, people are still more worried about the insecurities surrounding Microsoft products and, according to a survey that's what drives them to open source products.

Bob Toxen said: "Practically speaking, though, these few incidents are really the "Plane Crash" of security problems. By this, I mean that they are news because they are so rare."