Poor configuration of Linux servers by inexperienced administrators is making the open source operating system a far easier target for hackers than Windows 2000. Windows is generally regarded as less secure than Linux but Chris Klaus, founder and chief technology officer at Internet Security Systems (ISS), warns that the open source system is increasingly being targeted.. . .
Poor configuration of Linux servers by inexperienced administrators is making the open source operating system a far easier target for hackers than Windows 2000. Windows is generally regarded as less secure than Linux but Chris Klaus, founder and chief technology officer at Internet Security Systems (ISS), warns that the open source system is increasingly being targeted.

"While there may be a lot of unsecured Windows servers [on the Internet], if an IT manager does not know what he is doing, Linux can be even more vulnerable," he said.

ISS tracks attempts to hack Internet servers and has found that while 54% were attacks on Windows servers, 24% were targeted on Linux. Given the larger installed base of Windows servers compared to Linux, Klaus said that there was actually a higher proportion of Linux hacking attacks compared to Windows.

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