How safe is Linux on the Internet?

Linux OS is as open to malware as all others are. I must say when you hear "newbie hype" like it is the safest - that is just completely false. They used to (and still do) to say that about Apple/Mac.

Try on your "common sense arguement" and here that is ...... about 2 years ago the commercial antimalware was created for Linux - antivirus and antispyware. There is also firewalls and anti-rootkit software available. The common sense of that is that when a mega-millionaire company well known to consumers spends all that money for developement and deployment - well that certainly is not for something that does not exist.

Now there were a couple answers I saw saying it is safe on the internet - as your supposed security advice from them. If I were to say that either they are uninformed answers from the inexperienced or intentional misinformation for a false sense of security - then too there could be reciprocity in answers along the lines that those rich companies are doing that to get richer off a dumb society. Un-uh, no way. We all know that corporations are made up of shareholders who all have votes and income. If the company spends all their money on a big maybe that doesn't exist as sort of scamming the public to get rich - well number one, although they still have the house and all the goods suddenly the car gets repocessed because of lower shareholder income because of the new investment and suddenly the cruise vacations are cancelled. That is an example that is easily understood. The other side is to simply pass on the investment cost to consumers. Again, un-uh no way. Look at the market over the last two years or so and you see all the quality large security software companies like Symantec Norton, Trend Micro, and on and on creating security suites of all-in-one programs of firewall, antivirus, and antispyware which is greatly reducing average consumer costs from about $35 to $45 for each item to generally $80 or less for the full package. Where is this "they pass it on to the consumer" ? No where - it is untrue obviously and seen easily in the ongoing industry market. Again with all these spin answers they are just not going to make sense or hold water. "Rich" security software companies and corporations are as thrifty as any successful business and certainly are unable to create computer softwares that are fake products obviously.

So, if you pull it through then - no, Linux is not "safe" on the internet without security software installed that is paid subscription software activating real time protection. That is not the opinion of "rich" software companies about Linux but rather the facts obtained and reported by their research and developement departments to the Law authorities and Public. It is the exact same spin arguement with Apple/Mac and is, again either on purpose or uninformed.

In real world the arguement goes that 90 percent of world computers run Windows and are the prime targets of cyber crime and therefore the chances of malware infection and infestation are obviously less. That is the only thing "safe" about Linux and Mac. The rest of the arguements go along the lines that Microsoft Windows is the ONLY operating system with Unix Certification. Apple/Mac and Linux achieved only what is called "Unix-Like" certification. The Unix Certification is the top prize and only Windows has achieved that meaning that it is the only operating system in the world that is certified as the safest and most stable operating system in the world. This is mentioned because the rest of the open source and free softwares particularly browsers like Firefox play into this discussion as well. The same similar answers come from the uninformed and malicious that Firefox is safer than Internet Explorer. And again the targeting stats are observed but Microsoft Internet Explorer is the ONLY browser in the world to achieve Unix Certification as part of the Microsoft Windows Operating System.

It doesn't matter what you use to access the Internet including even cell phones now that also are Wireless Web Enabled - but that ALL are unsafe without quality paid active real time protection security software installed, updated, and used. For computers that is a firewall, antivirus, and antispyware.

Your question should be rephrased as to what security software is "safe" - not the operating system actually. Any unguarded access to the internet is wide open to all threats continually until inoperable from it - no matter what you are running.

List of Linux computer viruses and worms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lin...
InterMute Unveils Linux Anti-Spyware Software
Development Kit
http://www.intermute.com/press_releases/...

SEE
http://www.linuxsecurity.com/
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Linux...

Where can I find details about... "Microsoft Windows is the ONLY operating system with Unix Certification". Googled it, no details available. Thanks. Report It

I think you can say that out of the box, Linux is safer (not safe) on the Internet compared to out of the box Microsoft Windows installation. Still, assuming either is safe without additional monitoring is naive. The Linux/UNIX security model does tend to limit security problems better though. Report It

Linux/UNIX have users with minimal permissions as opposed to typical MS Windows users having greater permission (sometimes MS fault, other times 3rd party apps...especially games that require admin privileges). Report It

I too am curious about IE being the only UNIX certification as part of the MS Windows OS. Report It

Linux is safest than any other operating system available.

i agree.