Linux and Windows security compared

Security is a perennial concern for IT administrators. Managers need a framework to evaluate operating system security that includes an assessment of base security, network security and protocols, application security, deployment and operations, assurance, trusted computing, and open standards. In this study, we compare Microsoft Windows and Linux security across these seven categories. The overall findings of this qualitative assessment are that Linux provides superior to comparable security capabilities in comparison to Windows, except in the category of assurance -- for now.

The
challenge in evaluating Windows and Linux on any criteria is that there is not a single version of each operating system. Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows 2003 Server, and Windows CE are just a subset of Microsoft's offerings. Linux distributions vary by the Linux kernel release each is based on (e.g., 2.2, 2.4, and 2.6) and the versions of all the packages each contains. This study evaluates operating system security according to the current technology available in the market rather than legacy solutions.

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