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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Yes,<br>
<br>
That is right, all the news around at the moment about servers
getting hacked... well more than 95% of the worlds servers use
Linux, so yes, there are vulnerabilities due to errors/oversights
as well as some servers just not getting updated.<br>
<br>
I think the worrying thing about the NSA and GCHQ is more that the
whole focus has been diverted away from the Russian and Chinese
counterparts who could be much more dangerous. When I learnt how
to switch on my home router/modems firewall and check the security
records (embarrassingly only a year ago!), I found about 30 to 50
probes a day, 50% of the probes were both from American and
Chinese IPs! When I switched on the firewall it dropped to zero
and I now only get a few security notifications a week, but all
from China.<br>
<br>
Here's a few at the moment:<br>
<br>
Sep 21 20:04:21 (none) user.alert kernel: Intrusion ->
IN=pppoa0 OUT= MAC= SRC=113.108.21.16......<br>
and then: Sep 22 15:09:39 (none) user.alert kernel: Intrusion
-> IN=pppoa0 OUT= MAC= SRC=113.108.21.16...<br>
<br>
The address is from:<br>
inetnum: 113.96.0.0 - 113.111.255.255<br>
netname: CHINANET-GD<br>
descr: CHINANET Guangdong province network<br>
descr: Data Communication Division<br>
descr: China Telecom<br>
country: CN<br>
<br>
Further googling on the company reveals the following I excerpted:<br>
<br>
Anti-spam and block listing not-for-profit Spamhaus has added an
entire /12 block of IP addresses allocated to Chinanet Guongdong
Province Network (Chinanet-GD) for "Spammer, malware and botnet
hosting for months. Ignoring multiple notifications sent by
Spamhaus and 3rd parties". <br>
<br>
Drill down at the Spamhaus Advisory and you'll find 92 SBL
Listings dating back to March 2010.<br>
<br>
The rap sheet suggests this allocation is a proverbial wretched
hive of scum and villainy: I counted 17 different abuses with
multiple offenses for each abuse: <br>
ApnicComment/Forum Spam<br>
<br>
Spammer hosting<br>
Malware DNS server<br>
Spam source<br>
Snowshoe spam range<br>
Botnet spammer hosting<br>
Malware botnet controller<br>
Phish source<br>
Open relay emitting spam<br>
Spammer + botnet hosting<br>
Malware distribution<br>
Yoyo DDoS botnet controller<br>
Known repeat domain fraud spammers<br>
Trojan dropper<br>
Hacked server spamming<br>
Worm.Dorkbot botnet controller<br>
Phish redirector<br>
<br>
Sorry the topic has drifted somewhat off the topic of Linux
Desktop penetration!<br>
<br>
Michael<br>
<br>
On 22/09/14 15:15, Brian Reay wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:54202EEC.7020209@gmail.com" type="cite">
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Well, it also because if you wish to
cause mayhem with a Virus, then there are a lot my people to
upset with Windows or even MacOS than Linux. <br>
<br>
There have been 'issues' with Linux, just not as many. After
all, many Linux updates include security 'patches' etc., as (of
course) do those for Windows, MacOS, and all other operating
systems. If you read up on the activities of GCHQ etc., you will
find they exploit weaknesses in software due to
errors/oversights and these are the 'back doors' so often
referred to- rather than needing to have then specially 'added'.
Plus, if you think about it, if they asked them to be added, how
well it would work: "Please close all Windows and restart your
computer to enable the GCHQ back door feature." ;-) <br>
<br>
Many Linux users think Linux is immune to security issues, which
it is not. Again, I stress, I'm not 'anti-Linux', far from it,
simply a realist. Sadly, being a realist is often unwelcome in
some Linux circles.<br>
<br>
Brian<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 22/09/14 14:07, Michael Sinclair wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:54201F0B.2000302@mody.me.uk" type="cite">
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">I think you have actually described
it very accurately. This is the same reason why people like
Android and the Apple counterpart so much, it is 'tap and
play'. It is also part of the reason why viruses are
prevalent on Windows systems and not on Linux, just click and
install.<br>
<br>
Michael<br>
<br>
On 22/09/14 13:22, Brian Reay wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAC64WpDJ0bYq0yz9XPPYwcWb_WdQwgak1GoJrBGFB2RvvD47jA@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Don't forget the issue of the average user
(employee). They will almost certainly use Windows
Applications at home, or have come from employers which use
them, or educational establishments which taught them.
Sadly, the 'market' penetration of Linux is minimal on the
desktop, something Linus T describes as his 'personal
failure' (more than a bit harsh in my view but his own
words).
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Linux is still very much a 'niche' OS. used mainly by
'nerds and geeks' (not intended to be an insult, I use
it). </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>It isn't helped by the many versions of Linux, the need
to revert to the 'command line' to do some things, your
average user wants everything 'plug and play' or at least
GUI. They aren't like us, to then a problem is a problem,
not an opportunity to do what we enjoy.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>What I've said may seem 'anti-Linux' but I assure you I
am anything but.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Brian</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On 19 September 2014 20:49,
Jonathan Kaye <span dir="ltr"><<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:jdkaye@riseup.net"
target="_blank">jdkaye@riseup.net</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Dan
Attwood wrote on 19/09/14 18:19:<br>
<span class="">> well knock me sideways and call me
marvin:<br>
><br>
> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://fossforce.com/2014/09/redefining-the-public-library-using-open-source-ideas/"
target="_blank">http://fossforce.com/2014/09/redefining-the-public-library-using-open-source-ideas/</a><br>
><br>
><br>
</span>Thanks for the link, Dan. I could forward it on
to our councillors just<br>
to wake them up. I wrote to one of mine this morning but
haven't even<br>
had an acknowledgement as of now. So much for
representing us, eh?<br>
<div class="HOEnZb">
<div class="h5">Jonathan<br>
<br>
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<br>
<br clear="all">
<div><br>
</div>
-- <br>
<b><i>Brian Reay</i></b><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.g8osn.net"
target="_blank">www.g8osn.net</a><br>
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