OT: Linux most breached OS

[Robert T. Repko (R Squared Consultants)]

Believe it or not at 11/21/2004 03:28 AM, John Esak said:

>Far be it from me to want this to instigate any firestorms... :-)
>Seriously, I'm only posting this so all can experience the same impact it
>had on me when I read it... I am always the apologist and defense mouthpiece
>for MS around here... usually just listening to all the bashes and bashings
>about the Redmond giant and just well, listening. I think to be "fair and
>balanced" a report such as this certainly has as much right to be viewed
>hear as those same bashes and bashings. Enjoy. :-)  Those of you who can...
>:-)  :-)  :-)
>(Please note the _extreme_ number of adorning smileys...)  :-)  :-)
>
>
>Linux is 'most breached' OS on the Net, security research firm says
>Phil Hochmuth, Network World
>
>11/11/2004 11:56:31
>
>According to London security analysis and consulting firm mi2g, Linux is the
>most commonly breached operating system on computers connected to the
>Internet 24/7.
>
>The findings come from a recent report by the research firm, which analyzed
>almost 240,000 incidents of what it calls "digital breaches" of systems
>connected to the Internet. The firm analyzed these breaches, which included
>manual hacking attacks as well as virus, worm and other malware propagation,
>over a 12-month period from November 2003 to October 2004.
>
>According to the research firm's report, Linux accounted for 65% of the
>154,846 systems that were found to be hacked. Windows-based operating
>systems were second, accounting for 25% of the breached systems examined in
>the study.
>
>The safest systems were those based on BSD Unix, including Apple's Mac OS X
>operating system. These systems accounted for 4% of the breached systems.
>
>The research firm says those who maintain security code for Linux are
>challenged by the splintering of the operating system into "umpteen"
>different flavors [mi2g said "flavours," actually, being a British outfit].
>The firm also said the widespread use of Windows, weaknesses in Windows XP,
>and delays in the Longhorn operating system were responsible for the
>security faults in Windows systems.
>
>Most of the "digital breaches" mi2g examined came from what it calls
>"micro," and "small" entities. These include individuals with home PCs
>connected to the Internet, and small businesses, respectively. These
>accounted for over 80% of the incidents mi2g looked at. Mid and large-sized
>organizations made up only 8.5% of the incidents.
>
>Mi2g says it gets its data from "personal relationships" with C-level
>executives in the banking and insurance industries in North America, Europe
>and Asia. Other data sources come from monitoring hacker bulletin boards, as
>well as infiltration by mi2g employees into online hacker groups.
>
>While it all sounds very cloak-and-dagger, and a bit damning to Linux, it
>seems the "take-away" from mi2g's report may just be common sense: home
>Linux users and small businesses - download your operating system patches
>and update your firewall software.

With all due respect any research that comes from:

'"personal relationships" with C-level executives in the banking and 
insurance industries in North America, Europe and Asia. Other data sources 
come from monitoring hacker bulletin boards, as well as infiltration by 
mi2g employees into online hacker groups'

isn't worth the paper, or electrons, it takes to generate it.  If I wrote a 
research paper on databases using data from 'personal relationships' 
filePro would be the leading database in the world.
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