Linux kernal exploit...

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Ok, I know it's the Register but it raises some interesting questions with Linux as a consumer desktop system, especially as Google Chrome is (as far as we can see) in effect a Linux distro.

Now of course all OS have security problems of one sort or another but Linux tends to get described as having minimal security worries compared to other OS. I wonder, as distros like Chrome move Linux to the mainstream consumer desktop in more substantial numbers just how much of a target it will become for malware, virus and "hackers", and how willing the Linux community will be to handle Chrome security vulnerabilities in a manner consumers will expect, especially if Google are making billions from it. Let's face it, a Google OS with all the PR that will go with it will be top of the list for exploits and malware.

Even OSX with it's heritage and controlled, customised known hardware configurations has it's problems. After a "holiday" period and outside of the enthusiast market, is there a danger Chrome OS actually hands a "We told you it's not that easy" success to Microsoft, Apple, Red Hat, Novell etc and tarnish Google's so far immaculate cool brand?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/17/linux_kernel_exploit/

 

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I disagree with almost everything the OP said, have you ever used Linux?

Sorry, what has my using Linux got to do with the potential for Linux to get a lot of attention from Malware, virus and exploiters of other vulnerabilities.

I asked if it was possible for Google Chrome specifically, to "get it wrong" with a modified Linux based desktop OS and find that taking it to the mainstream of people who neither know, nor care about what Linux is, or how it works and how to mitigate vulnerabilities, could lead to Google tarnishing it's shiny brand and hand an inadvertent "victory" to the existing OS authors/distros (including Red Hat, CentOS, SUSE, Unbuntu etc as well as MS & Apple).

Thanks for the stereotypical fanboy answer though

JB, tntcoder and theheys, thanks for the informative posts, I suspect it'll make for an interesting discussion as more details get released about Chrome.

 

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Snip lots of waffle..

Also, what's with the 1st line? The Register is a very good source of IT news. If it was on the Inquirer I could understand the warning.

The Register, good accurate source of news and facts.. Uhuh

Please try thinking about what I wrote and stop trying to be an elitist smart ****.

The point I was trying to ask people about (and at no point did I say I knew the answer, I was asking a question) was could Google specifically, end up giving themselves problems by trying to release and support an OS.

Part of my conjecture was that the other OS out there, including various *nix flavours, have to a greater or lesser degree evolved a support mechanism to cope with (in this case) vulnerabilities. These mechanisms range from MS (and Red Hat etc) expensive high end support, to "free" community support and updates.

There's still a question about how "open" the Google OS would be I think, and if Google are making billions from it, how ready would the wider Linux community be to support a Google "Linux". Let's not forget given Google's behaviour with search among other technologies it wouldn't be out of character if Google pushed to make Chrome the de facto Linux OS. Now that's not necessarily a bad thing, or even likely but it's another factor I thought might warrant a sensible discussion, in particular with people having far more knowledge on the topic than me.

If you stopped ranting and making snide comments long enough to think about what I said, you'd realise the question has less to do with "hands on" technology and more to do with how a company with a brand name like Google will cope with security and user issues. For an advertising based company like Google to bring a Linux based OS to the average user who neither knows, nor cares about Linux or what the OS is, could prove to be a mistake. The OS and support mechanism is going to have to support people that are IT illiterate and likely to click on every pop up, download and mail attachment as well as IT pros.

Ironically it could hand a PR "victory" to the existing Linux distros and OS like Windows and OSX if Google aren't very careful.

The quote from the register was just topical and made me wonder how Google might cope with this sort of thing if it takes Chrome to the mainstream. You can guarantee with all the PR surrounding Chrome there will be headlines all over the press as soon as the first problem shows up. It's also likely there will be a queue of "hackers" waiting to become infamous as the first to get a major "Google OS has security problems headline.

Less "you don't use or understand Linux" digs please and more informative discussion...

 

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While I agree that Linux is probably no more secure than Windows on a technical basis, ans as much as It's fashionable to say otherwise, there is an element of security in obscurity.

Without doubt, which is part of why I wondered if Google taking the OS to the mainstream consumer could land it with a bunch of security and update problems that most *nix distros don't have to worry about at the moment.