Absolute Security is a Myth

Absolute Security is a Myth
Jason Miller, 2005-04-08

No operating system is completely immune to security threats, and that includes Apple's OS X.

How about OpenBSD and Zos? 2005-04-09
Janice (4 replies)

OpenBSD is probably the most secure that it
is out there and here comes Zos from IBM
but for mainframes only , but from what I
hear could(probably) be a perfect OS from a
security point of view.Hacking days are over
people.Trying to get root on an OpenBSD system is very far from easy not t...

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How about OpenBSD and Zos? 2005-04-10
Darwin Lopez (1 replies)

the author is right. absolute security is a myth. it doesn't matter if your using NSA's LINUX KERNEL or OPENBSD or whatever you can never claim that your system is safe.

security is a practice ...

not a piece of software...

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How about OpenBSD and Zos? 2005-04-12
Janice (2 replies)

You people still don't get it?
Probably OpenBSD is not invulnerable but
how many guys in the world can break it
from the outside?Less than 100 inmho.
Probably Solar Designer
and a few others,but if you have that kind
of people after you than you will never be
safe but guys like that don't ...

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How about OpenBSD and Zos? 2005-04-12
Anonymous

He's actually right. If you properly secure an installation of any operating system, enable a firewall that blocks everything, turn on no services, and never use the box for anything you're probably good.

...On the other hand, it's probably cheaper and easier to just leave the cord unplugged....

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How about OpenBSD and Zos? 2005-04-14
Eirik

It is enough that one person in the world knows how to crack it and writes the code to automate it. And it doesnt have to be some underground hacker either, it could very well be one of the well founded computer security research initiatives in different countries' military intelligence. I've person...

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How about OpenBSD and Zos? 2005-04-11
Greg

Do you audit OpenBSD code and updates sometimes ?
Do you believe absolutely in intrusion mitigation techniques ?...

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How about OpenBSD and Zos? 2005-04-11
Anonymous

openBSD and others are secure, no doubt.
But are they completly? No.
There is no such thing as completly secure, the biggest advantage Zos and OpenBSD have is that they are obscure. Security but Obscurity plays a big part.
Security is about knowing where you are vunerable and preparing for it.
I...

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How about OpenBSD and Zos? 2005-04-11
Anonymous

I'm sorry Janice you are sadly mistaken.

The hacking days will end when the human element is taken out of computing administration. I have compromised BSD systems, yes using several "low hanging fruit", point is it can and will always be done.

Whatever the reason that systems will be compromis...

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Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-04-10
Anonymous (1 replies)

Agree. No OS is bulletproof. Written from fully patched OS-X, firewall enabled, antivirus updated daily, and running snort. However, if caught in an ambush, it does make sense to get out of the kill zone. Windows is the _current_ kill zone....

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Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-04-11
Anonymous

I agree, Windows is a kill zone, however, I run 3 honey pots, 1 Win2k, 1 Win98, and Gentoo Linux, guess which one gets destroyed all the time? And no its not the 98 or 2k box. I run half and half on the rest of my network at home, never owned a MAC never felt the need to. But then again OS is imp...

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Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-04-12
Saar Drimer

"The more popular something becomes, the more scrutiny it will face by security researchers. The more scrutiny directed at any piece of software, the more vulnerabilities will surface."

absolutely. More scrutiny by hackers as well.

in short:
more users = more [security] bugs found.
See OS X,...

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Security is NOT just a game of numbers. 2005-04-13
Kyle

Security is NOT just a game of numbers - unless you figure "all computers think in numbers, ergo...". Apache has the lion's share of the web server market, and yet Microsoft IIS has the lion's share of the web server exploits and vulnerabilities. Granted, one should not become complacent, but let's ...

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Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-04-13
kl365

I recently worked in one of the three call centers that provides the #1 Ranked Tech support for Macintosh computers and coming from a programming/security oriented background I was shocked to realize how much faith people have in their mac's to be absolutely bulletproof.

By and large, the majori...

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Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-04-14
Reinholt56@gmail.com (1 replies)

You quote in your article 'What I'm saying is this: vulnerabilities are everywhere, and good security practice means that you should never consider your software to be 100% vulnerability free. Security threats of all types feed on vulnerabilities; no operating system is immune to vulnerabilities, an...

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Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-04-15
Anonymous

As interesting as your response is, it seems a tad redundant to me. You basically agree with what the author says, but in an inane, immature way.

Although more systems are running MS than OS X, the very nature of the OS X community makes them a very attractive target: they think they are bullet ...

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Absolute Security is a Myth (ie Mac OS X .,.) 2005-04-15
R, Hale

I need to Author a short piece on UNIX/Linux
security to balance the the one on M$
(ref 10GSuperman.com "Security r1" download
at bottom of page).

Yes UNIX/Linux has "Dirty Laundry" security
issues just like M$.

Exhibit #1
Google: "Mac OS X" + Sendmail + Security
The last post on that ...

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Mail and Web Surfing? 2005-04-19
Michelle

I hate when people don't separate applications from an OS. If you are going to talk about OS security, then talk about it, but don't water it down by mentioning applications running on it. Anyone can write an insecure app, but that has nothing to do with the OS, even if it ships with it.

BTW, I'm...

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Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-04-20
hans.y.blom@telia.com (1 replies)

Ever heard of OpenVMS?
Hacked? Never!
Owned? Never!
Compromized? Never!
Get a real OS!!!
...

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Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-04-22
Anonymous (1 replies)

yeah but how many people actually use vms? Just like when was the last time you heard about an OS/2 vulnerability?...

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Re: Absolute Security is a Myth 2005-11-15
Ian Miller

VMS Security is designed in. VMS is used for serious things like financial systems and hospitals and are generally run by people who know what they are doing.

However the main point of the article is true. Technology does not make you immune. The main weak point is the people. It is much easier t...

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