Jim Lawrence
accessd at shaw.ca
Fri Oct 11 16:32:32 CDT 2013
Hi Rocky: No system can not be hacked. Linux's only security is that it is a OSS which is being continually modified, everyone can see all the code and it can be fixed in hours after an exploit has been discovered. The main problem with windows is that it is so proprietary. No one except the designers and hackers know what actually goes on under the hood. As mentioned before there are a number of market places out on the web where the latest exploits are being bartered. Windows has hundreds of programmers working on the product every day but Linux has thousands, maybe tens of thousands. Whether this will make any difference in the long run, who knows but it seems that a lot of security fanatics are betting it does. Jim ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rocky Smolin" <rockysmolin at bchacc.com> To: "Discussion of Hardware and Software issues" <dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com> Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 11:49:25 AM Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Compromised I think a switch to Linux will keep the hackers at bay. For anywhere from a week to a year. But if you put a big enough carrot out there - like accounts with a couple billions dollars in them - I think they'll find a way. Windows is the target right now because that's where the money is. The weakness is not Windows. It's the nature of computers and the internet. And why should computers and the internet be any different from any other thing created by people to keep their stuff safe? Have we made a burglar proof house? Car? Bank? Structurally I see the vulnerability software and the internet proportional to it's utility. We can improve the locks on the house, but that will make going in and coming out less convenient. Just my two pfennig. R -----Original Message----- From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Jim Lawrence Sent: Friday, October 11, 2013 9:57 AM To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues Subject: [dba-Tech] Compromised Hi All: Had an interesting discussion last night and one fellow that was in attendance was a tech from a company call Soroc (http://www.soroc.com). The companies client's are all the domestic banks. The latest revelation is that the NSA and soon every other hacker now has software that can compromise all Windows computers and there is no third party software that even detects it. This was told to him and his company at a security meeting in Toronto, last week. How accurate this is, I have no idea but it has the financial sector stirred up. The possible solutions discussed are completely blocked all PCs in the bank from external access, not allowing any computers in the bank that have not been vetted out of Toronto, so no BYOD and finally everyone switch to Linux. Nothing is finalized yet but the options are being weighed. (Note: I am sure this information was to be a little off the record but all those techs that in the business should be made aware of it.) Any thoughts? Jim _______________________________________________ dba-Tech mailing list dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com _______________________________________________ dba-Tech mailing list dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com