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To: for-q-clinton

No, Windows isn’t a “much more” secure platform now.

One of the problems with these sorts of “analysis” by bystanders to computer security is that they don’t ponder the question of “what would happen if Charlie Miller decided to go after Windows?”

Let’s back up a sec. Charlie Miller worked for the NSA for five years. That sort of experience gives him a big leg up on many DIY hackers in that the NSA has a large internal base of experience on cracking systems of all sorts. Let’s just say that it is obvious that Miller learned a trick or two in his time at Ft. Meade.

Why is Miller focusing on OS X? Because he analyzed the contest and took the path which offers him the highest probability of getting the $10K payoff. There aren’t that many hackers looking at the Mac as an attack target, but there are a bunch of hackers who have looked at Windows, and a few more than the Mac who go after Unix-variant systems because they’re used as servers and back ends. Fewest competitors means highest probability of winning the contest and taking home some cash.


14 posted on 03/27/2010 1:03:36 PM PDT by NVDave
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To: NVDave

So you are claiming Charlie Miller is the best hacker in the world and that he dwarfs all Windows hackers?

Get real. He’s a very good hacker but not the best. And he’s targeting OS X because Steve Jobs has been lying about their security and it’s footprint is now big enough worthy of a respsonse to protect its users. The NASA angle is stupid. I know many people that have worked for NASA, most are pretty smart, but not extremely smart. In most cases my IQ was higher than theirs (when that subject came up). So I’m not sure what working at NASA has to do with anything.

But you’re right there are a lot more script kiddies exploiting old vulnerabilities in windows than in OS X.


17 posted on 03/27/2010 1:43:06 PM PDT by for-q-clinton (If at first you don't succeed keep on sucking until you do succeed)
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