Why most run Microsoft, not RedHat

[Anne Wilson]

On Thursday 19 April 2007, Les Mikesell wrote:
>
> How do you know the machine isn't compromised? The current crop of
> viruses aren't obvious but let someone control it when they want.  Vint
> Cerf has estimated that 25% of all computers are - and I'd guess even
> higher than that.  Would  you know if it was sending a few pieces of
> spam email now and then - or making a few web site hits to run up
> someone's ad counters?
>
She'd know.  Apart from anything else, she's still on dial-up, so anything 
trying to get out would be obvious.  I've seen a compromised box - I know she 
would not have missed it.

Face it - many people get themselves compromised.  Some don't.  The only box 
I've been involved with that had such a problem was one that ignored my 
advice.  Too tight to pay for a decent AV.  Let her son go anywhere he 
fancied.  Never did any sort of checks.  It was fortunate that her ISP 
threatened to take away her account if she didn't sort it immediately.  That 
was when she called me in.

Anne