Windows is now less vulnerable than OS X and Linux

[mercurial]

Microsoft’s Windows operating system, which is often criticized for its security issues, is no longer the number one as far as security vulnerabilities are concerned. According to latest data from the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), the OS is less vulnerable than Apple’s OS X, iOS, as well as Linux.



A quick look at the top operating systems by vulnerabilities reported in 2014 (see image above) reveals that Apple Mac OS X is the most vulnerable operating system, followed by Apple iOS (#2), and Linux (#3). Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 are at position 7 and 8, respectively.

Overall, a total of 7,038 new security vulnerabilities were added to the database last year, which translates into at an average of 19 new vulnerabilities per day. Out of those, 80% were reported in third-party applications, 13% in operating systems, and 4% in hardware devices.

If you aren’t aware, NVD is the US government repository of standards based vulnerability management data represented using the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP).

Source

 

[DA-LION-619]

/awaits Mac fanbois

 

[Herr_Koos]

Just Mac? What about the "Linux is inherently secure and cannot be hacked" crowd?

 

[Hamster]

Oh...oh so gewd

/awaits

 

[Maverick Jester]

Ah yes, the false application of stats. Fantastic.

 

[Pitbull]

Most attacks are directed at which OS?

That should be the question that needs answering. If you want more results per attack you attack MS. Mac doesn't even get attacked with viruses or hack attempts.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Most attacks are directed at which OS?

That should be the question that needs answering. If you want more results per attack you attack MS. Mac doesn't even get attacked with viruses or hack attempts.

That doesn't apply anymore, also users on Windows tend to run some anti virus software can't say the same for Mac users.

 

[.QQ.]

Oh man..

 

[Maverick Jester]

That doesn't apply anymore, also users on Windows tend to run some anti virus software can't say the same for Mac users.

Yeah, that's not a great excuse at all.

If you combined all Windows versions, the numbers would eclipse everything else. Also, if you really are concerned, look at the percentage of high vulnerabilities that each OS has. Again, Windows wins that by a landslide.

 

[furpile]

So how many vulnerabilities of the previous years have not been fixed? These are only what was found last year, how many still exist for each platform?

 

[Fulcrum29]

Honesty, MS Windows has a little advantage here, the OS had been attacked by a larger variety attacks than any other operating system over the years. The advantage is in the window, the vulnerability prior the detection, MS can close the window more responsively due to experience and historical timelines.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Yeah, that's not a great excuse at all.

If you combined all Windows versions, the numbers would eclipse everything else. Also, if you really are concerned, look at the percentage of high vulnerabilities that each OS has. Again, Windows wins that by a landslide.

If you combined it, it doesn't matter because something that affects Windows 7 may not affect Windows 8 but something that affects Windows 8 may affect Windows 7.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Honesty, MS Windows has a little advantage here, the OS had been attacked by a larger variety attacks than any other operating system over the years. The advantage is in the window, the vulnerability prior the detection, MS can close the window more responsively due to experience and historical timelines.

+1 with that recent Lenovo adware fish thing, MS pushed out an update to fix it very quickly.

 

[JStrike]

If you combined it, it doesn't matter because something that affects Windows 7 may not affect Windows 8 but something that affects Windows 8 may affect Windows 7.

No, but combing Windows will give you a better representation against MacOS, iOS and Linux, where a vast majority are on the most current release. For Windows this is not the case. Hence having to combine Windows versions

 

[Maverick Jester]

If you combined it, it doesn't matter because something that affects Windows 7 may not affect Windows 8 but something that affects Windows 8 may affect Windows 7.

But they're doing it for all versions of Mac OS, Linux and iOS, which then suffer from the same false equivalences as your example.

 

[DA-LION-619]

No, but combing Windows will give you a better representation against MacOS, iOS and Linux, where a vast majority are on the most current release. For Windows this is not the case. Hence having to combine Windows versions

If you combine Vista, 7, 8 & 8.1 the numbers wouldn't go up that much since I'm sure they all share common vulnerabilities.

 

[Maverick Jester]

If you combine Vista, 7, 8 & 8.1 the numbers wouldn't go up that much since I'm sure they all share common vulnerabilities.

Still not the point. Windows in its totality needs to be represented as a total amount, because they've presented the other operating systems in that way.

 

[whatnot]

Most attacks are directed at which OS?

The one who offers the largest audience.

Which has always been windows, therefore 99% of all malware is created for windows. If it was OSX, OSX would be the OS with the most malware. Anybody should be able to grasp that very basic piece of logic.

 

[Pitbull]

The one who offers the largest audience.

Which has always been windows, therefore 99% of all malware is created for windows. If it was OSX, OSX would be the OS with the most malware. Anybody should be able to grasp that very basic piece of logic.

It was a rhetorical question

Also the reason MS has so little holes. the holes have been plugged after being exploited in the first place. The Mac vulnerabilities are not used to it's meaning less tbh. And no I don't use Mac at all. Just shows how stupid this actually is

 

[DA-LION-619]

Still not the point. Windows in its totality needs to be represented as a total amount, because they've presented the other operating systems in that way.

Does it bother you that much that Windows has the least vulnerabilities? Just look at the low risk vulnerabilities then.