Re: Study: Internet Explorer Dominates the Web
BTW, I don't recall who said it, but using Web mail like Yahoo! or Hotmail or Lycos doesn't protect you from viruses and worms. For that, you need to use anti-virus software and delete, unread and unopened,[1] any email attachments you weren't expecting--regardless of whether they are from a stranger or someone you know.
Of course, those of us who run Linux or BSD (he said, not without a trace of smugness), can open up the worm or virus to see how it's written, and not take any harm.
Clients also know that worm and virus writers target Microsoft apps _because_ of their ubiquity. It's easy to be successful and get attention writing virus code that attacks IE and/or Outlook. Using Microsoft Internet Exploder guarantees that a firm's admins will be patching way more than they need to be. Patching isn't a simple matter for an enterprise since it can destabilize the code base.
Another reason is that security in Microsoft operating systems isn't something that was included in the design from the ground up, but rather added as an after-thought. As a result, there are more vulnerabilities for virus writers to exploit. One or two Linux viruses have been written, but they haven't done much damage.
Yet another reason is that Microsoft tends to be slow in issuing security fixes. In at least one case, it took several weeks even to admit that a bug existed. By contrast, security holes in Linux are usually plugged in a couple of days at the very most. In some cases, the fixes are available within hours after the announcement.
Finally, all the security fixes in the world are useless if people don't apply them. While there are exceptions (including most sysadmins, I would hope), the average Microsoft user is far laxer than the average UNIX or Linux user about applying security fixes. In fact, I sometimes think that UNIX and Liux users are needlessly obsessive about security, although the attitude does seem to pay off.
--
Bruce Byfield 604.421.7177 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com
"'Hal-an-tow, jolly rumbelow,
We were out long before the day-o,
For to welcome in the summertime, To welcome in the May-o,
Summer is a-coming in and winter's gone away."
- Traditional, Halston Furey Dance
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References:
RE: Study: Internet Explorer Dominates the Web: From: Kevin Christy
RE: Study: Internet Explorer Dominates the Web: From: Kelley
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