Question regarding an article from Microsft Hellas's CEO

[Bernhard Reiter]

On Wed, Feb 04, 2004 at 11:00:34AM +0200, Giannis Stoilis wrote:
> I am the Secretary of the Hellenic Linux Users Group(http://www.hellug.gr/)

BTW: Do you use anything else then the kernel? :)

> In an interview given by "Microsoft Hellas 
> S.A."(http://www.microsoft.com/hellas/) CEO(Mr. Christos Tsagkos) at the 
> Hellenic Financial Newspaper Naftemporiki(E-WORKING Manazine, Page 4, 
> Answer to the 4th question - http://www.naftemporiki.gr/[greek only]), 
> there was an abstract saying, word by word: "Let me start by saying 
> that, according to a recert reasearch by IDC, Windows is the least 
> vulnerable operating system, regarding security issues. The research 
> indicates that there are more than twice number of viruses for Linux 
> than for Windows". I have searched every recent research from IDC but I 
> haven't found that information.
> What do you advise us to do? We have already contacted IDC and waiting 
> for a response.

Most people will not trust a study result stated this way.
Asking for the results is the right way to do.

Point people to better research, then they can think for themselfs:

	David Wheeler
	http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html#security

Especially:

9.  The majority of the most serious security problems only apply
    to Microsoft's products, and not to OSS/FS products, as suggested by
    the CERT/CC's "most frequent, high-impact types of security
    incidents and vulnerabilities" and the ICAT database.

10. Computer viruses are overwhelmingly more prevalent on Windows than
    any other system.

11. Microsoft has had far more vulnerabilities than anyone else,
    according to SecurityTracker.

Interesting Quote:
	"Microsoft's Jim Allchin disclosed under oath in court
	testimony that some Microsoft code was so flawed it could not be
	safely disclosed to the public."

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