Nonsense
|
| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| caitlyn Apr 29, 2010 3:36 PM EDT |
First, Linux market share is always seriously understated. Second, it usually reflects units preloaded with Linux sold, not the percentage of machines actually running Linux. Third, SPAM is not a form or malware or virus. It is e-mail and subsequently can be generated by any machine. It is not related to the operating system or any flaws it might have. The headline is designed to catch attention and not to reflect reality. The numbers themselves are spun to make the article and really are meaningless. |
| qcimushroom Apr 29, 2010 4:03 PM EDT |
caitlyn I tend to agree with you. I beleave that nearly all of the Linux generated spam comes from compromised servers, not home users. Far to many system admins use weak passwords and access their Linux server from a Windows machine. |
| techiem2 Apr 29, 2010 5:42 PM EDT |
Right. Windows is great for exploiting for botnets/ddos attacks/phishing/etc. Linux is great for sending mass quantities of emails (legitimate or otherwise). I've had a server compromised before and used to send spam (fortunately my mail host provider caught it quickly and let me know so I could fix the server), and was actually quite impressed with how they did it. Do you really think a compromised windows workstation could handle continuously generating and sending thousands of emails? |
| JaseP Apr 29, 2010 5:53 PM EDT |
At qcimushroom:
"I beleave that nearly all of the Linux generated spam comes from compromised servers, not home users." Not necessarily COMPROMISED servers, but possibly intentionally set up spam servers, just cranking out annoying emails... Another possibility is routers that were left un-password protected out of the factory being compromised. There was that issue a few months back. They would report themselves as Linux boxes... A compromised Linux box generally needs to be intentionally hacked with a purposeful black-hatter on the other end. To compromise Linux security you have to work at it. To compromise Windows security, you only have to work ON it,... |
| tuxchick Apr 29, 2010 6:05 PM EDT |
"9 out of 10 professional spammers recommend Linux! Number 10 prefers FreeBSD!" |
| techiem2 Apr 29, 2010 6:55 PM EDT |
When the server I manage was compromised, the logfiles showed that they had been scanning the box for a whole bunch of remote execute exploits.
They found one (my improperly configured phpmyadmin install on that box), and used it to download and extract an archive containing the spam generating script and then launched the script to happily sit in the background dumping spam into the postfix queue. |
| gus3 Apr 29, 2010 9:16 PM EDT |
Quoting:"9 out of 10 professional spammers recommend Linux! Number 10 prefers FreeBSD!"Because they're professionals, and they know what they're doing. The amateurs and dilettantes prefer Windows, as usual. |
| azerthoth Apr 29, 2010 9:17 PM EDT |
dilettantes use Mac |
| hkwint Apr 29, 2010 10:40 PM EDT |
Quoting:When the server I manage was compromised, the logfiles showed that they had been scanning the box for a whole bunch of remote execute exploits. Darn kids were using backtrack again? |
| jdixon Apr 29, 2010 10:56 PM EDT |
> "I beleave that nearly all of the Linux generated spam comes from compromised servers, not home users." So, tell me. Do you think these researchers had enough sense to exclude uncompromised Linux mail servers which were simply forwarding spam sent by their compromised Windows using customers? I read the article this morning, but it didn't say anything about their methodology. And yes, Caitlyn is correct. If you apply Linux's actual market share of at least 5% instead of the oft claimed 1%, that 5X likelihood disappears. And if they're counting servers too, the Linux percentage is much higher than that. |
| jezuch Apr 30, 2010 2:21 AM EDT |
Quoting:Because they're professionals, and they know what they're doing. The amateurs and dilettantes prefer Windows, as usual. No, no, no. 10 out of 10 spammers recommend Windows... Someone else's Windows, of course. |
| chalbersma Apr 30, 2010 8:31 PM EDT |
I actually know a spammer. He uses Cent OS as his server.... |
| hkwint May 02, 2010 12:19 PM EDT |
Interesting, chalbersma. Considering 'spamming' is a business too: You wouldn't trust your business-criticall apps to Windows, neither do spammers it seems? |
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