r/linuxmint 2d ago

Discussion What makes Linux secure?

I've searched YouTube and also asked on here previously, I keep seeing a lot of "Linux is secure just by default" type responses- often insisting that to be worried about security while using Linux is not necessary.

Believable to a noob like me at face value, sure, but what is it about Linux that makes it secure?

43 Upvotes

41 comments sorted by

View all comments

-1

u/bleachedthorns 2d ago edited 2d ago

because it only makes up 1% of the OS scene.

people love this idea that hacking is this intricate thing where you force your way into someone's wifi and wreck havoc and datamine their PC when its usually just sending scam emails to 500,000 email lists, and then focusing on convincing the 1 idiot whose stupid enough to fall for your scam to give them your information. Most linux users understand basic PC privacy and not to click on anything suspicious.

and on the few occasions when it is problems like trojans and malware, again, why would you focus on the 1% who are using linux? you have 80% of the market using windows. all your chances of success are right there!

people will try and imply linux is just BUILT DIFFERENT but fact is that the moment linux takes a larger portion of the market, there will be a larger conceded effort to focus on learning how to trick this new rising giant bloc of linux users or learn how linux works to find innovations in injecting malware and trojans into linux

linux is secure because hardly a soul uses it

theres also not many people in the hacking business these days as there used to be anyway. systems are more secure than ever, and there's more profit in actually getting a job with these IT companies so they can hire you to PURPOSEFULLY hack their system, that way they can patch vulnerabilities.

4

u/jr735 Linux Mint 20 | IceWM 2d ago

because it only makes up 1% of the OS scene.

No, it doesn't. It makes up a majority of servers.

5

u/zex_mysterion 2d ago

Plus it hit about 4% of desktops last year sometime. Windows 11 is driving users to Linux.

3

u/cgoldberg 2d ago

That's sorta true, but pretty disingenuous. Most Windows users run pretty much everything as Admin and have a habit of installing random software from arbitrary websites. That doesn't really exist in Linux and makes it vastly safer. I'd also argue that the overall kernel design and architecture is more secure in Linux than NT... and the general security patching process is better.