Length: 18 pages  
Laura Koetzle March 19, 2004
Is Linux More Secure Than Windows?
by Laura Koetzle
with Charles Rutstein, Natalie Lambert, Stephan Wenninger

This is a document excerptEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Microsoft gets a bad rap for security, while many believe that Linux is relatively secure. A fair assessment? Not really: After collecting a year's worth of vulnerability data, Forrester's analysis shows that both Windows and four key Linux distributions can be deployed securely. Key metrics include responsiveness to vulnerabilities, severity of vulnerabilities, and thoroughness in fixing flaws.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NOTES & RESOURCES

itemUnderstanding The Vulnerability Life Cycle

itemWhat Matters: Responsiveness, Relative Severity, And Thoroughness

itemThe Four Best Metrics For Quantifying Platform Security

itemMicrosoft, Debian Fix Fast; Red Hat, MandrakeSoft Miss Few Flaws

itemPlatform Security's Future: Responsible Disclosure And Reduced Attack Surfaces

itemHandling Competing Platform Requirements

Recommendations

itemHandling Competing Platform Requirements

itemSupplemental Material

Forrester interviewed 13 vendor and user companies, including: @stake, Debian,Hewlett-Packard, iDEFENSE, KDE, MandrakeSoft, Microsoft, Red Hat, SUSE Linux, and TruSecure.

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Analyst: Laura Koetzle
Technology: Application Development, Architecture & Technology Strategy, Client Computing Hardware, Client Operating Systems & Software, Infrastructure Security, IT Infrastructure & Operations, IT Management, IT Strategy, Planning, & Governance, Security & Risk, Server Operating Systems
Geography: Asia Pacific, Europe, North America
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