Is Linux Safer Than Windows

Why Linux Is More Secure than Other Operating Systems?

A brief about Bone

Earlier getting into why is linux more than secure than other operating systems, permit u.s.a. have a look into the brief on Operating Systems. Operating System is a software, that manages all hardware resources associated with the figurer. Generally, Operating System is comprised of number of pieces such equally the Boot loader, the Kernel, Daemons, Desktop environment and applications. Typically, Bone is deployed in any organization when multi-tasking required to be performed, which is achieved by resources direction functionality of the OS as mentioned higher up.

Along with that, the user besides requires interface with the system to collaborate and invoke various applications. In modern day Os, these interfaces (popularly known as GUI) are expected to provide all-time-in-class User Experience (UX) to the users, past making it easy to employ the system.

Linux

Linux is a complimentary, open-source software Bone distribution built around Linux Kernel. It was first developed for personal computers based on x86 compages. From initial days, Linux has grown leaps and bounds which is now supporting every popular architecture that we can recall of (ex: ARM). To suite any blazon of user / customer requirements, Linux has a number of different versions. They are called as "distributions" or "distros" in short. Pop distributions are Ubuntu (Normal user), Suse / Redhat (Enterprise servers), Cent Bone (Deject platforms). In fact, Android is also based on Linux Kernel, which has become very popular OS for mobile phones and embedded devices. There are more flavor/versions of Linux bachelor other than the higher up mentioned.

Linux and Security

Linux systems are rarely infected past malware such as viruses, worms etc, thereby making information technology equally a very secure OS. As a normal user, we will never come beyond a situation where Antivirus software is been sold for Linux. This ways, Linux is inherently secure and there are many reasons associated with it. Let us wait into the key reasons that describes why is linux more secure than other operating systems.

What makes Linux secure?

Privileges

To start with, Linux has conspicuously divers privileges at multiple levels, thereby restricting admission. For example, there is a 'root' level access rights (which you tin can chronicle with 'administrator' in any OS) which are not given to whatsoever normal user. Users are given access only to lower level accounts with express access. When a Linux arrangement is compromised, virus or malware volition non become the root admission to damage system wide. Just local files and programs of users will be affected, as the normal user will not accept admission permission to all the files in the organization. This leads to least effect of virus in systems with Linux. As Linux users don't have root access, it is difficult to crusade damage on Linux.

Let us accept the example of file permissions! The case below contains local files and permissions. The permission information of each file or directory is mentioned as a combination of nine characters for three levels (owner, grouping and all users) with three unlike permissions (read, write and execute).

Considering drwxrwxr-x, where d in drwxrwxr-ten stands for directory, first rwx represents owner permissions which applies only to possessor of the directory. This won't impact the activeness of other users. The second set of rwx is the group permissions and 3rd set up of r-ten denotes permission for all users. Like permission information for all the files in a particular user's directory is given below.

Fig 1: Case for user permissions

As well in Linux, "everything is a file" (which is popularly known as Virtual File System) which includes, directory, a normal file, character device, block device, difficult-drive, keyboards and printers etc. Since, everything is a file in Linux, access brake tin be done, thereby making Linux equally a secure OS. An example of different types of files is given beneath.

Fig 2: Example – Directory, cake device, grapheme device and permissions

OPEN SOURCE

Equally most of y'all may be enlightened, Linux Kernel is an open source software. This means the code is adult and maintained by set of highly passionate individuals who is often called as "community". Since the beginning of Linux, its creator Linus Torvalds has been a stiff supporter of getting more "eye-balls" looking into the code. This means the more people run into the code and review or examination information technology, the quality improves. Even though this concept applies to all open up source software development, for Linux it is followed very religiously.

The Linux Kernel development happens in a highly process oriented, engineered approach. The whole source code is divided into multiple subsystems (ex: Memory direction) which is maintained by a subsystem maintainers. This maintainer, with a set of reviewers thoroughly review each and every change that is getting into the mainline Kernel thereby making it secure by design. The paradigm given beneath gives a glimpse of this development process.

Fig 3: Linux Kernel – Development Process

Forth with entry level quality control, developers volition keep providing fixes for security vulnerabilities / problems in terms of "patches". A patch is a piece of software designed to set up bugs. By regular release of patches for Linux Kernel, users can upgrade their Kernel to keep it stable and secure. Bank check out the Linux CVE link to get a view of these patches.

Memory management

Memory access and direction plays a central role in security of an OS. There are various memory direction models adjusted by dissimilar Operating Systems. In this blog, let us compare Linux with another operating organisation – VxWorks.

In OS similar VxWorks, 'flat retention model' is been followed, where user space and kernel infinite are non well separated. Here, the system allocates memory in the physical address space. Typical VxWorks doesn't have virtual memory back up (however information technology tin can exist added / enabled). Since physical memory is direct available for access, security threat prevails in this Operating System, as the malware programs can manipulate the memory and eventually bring down the system.

Whereas in Linux, user space and kernel space are well separated. Here, actual physical address allocated for whatsoever process will not be displayed to users. For instance, endeavor press address of parent process and kid procedure created using fork() organization call. Address of both parent and child processes will be the aforementioned which is the virtual address. This is considering, whatsoever awarding can access only the virtual address which is mapped to the physical accost. Due to this, no impairment tin can exist made to bodily physical accost space. This mode of managing memory makes Linux more secure.

Discover epitome below which describes virtual address – physical accost mapping.

Fig 4: Concrete accost – virtual accost mapping

Having this kind of retentiveness management approach has got its ain disadvantages a well.

Case-1: When the user awarding invokes a organization call, there is a soft interrupt triggered from the user-space to kernel space which introduces filibuster.
Example-ii: When the virtual accost needs to exist translated into physical address, the translation process will introduce some delay.

This is i of the reasons why Linux is not preferred much for Existent Time Systems (RTS), equally linux it not matching up to the time expectations imposed past Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS).

Recording system events

A log file is maintained where file accesses and system accesses are written to it in Linux. If some user tries to enter into safe organisation file, these tin be reviewed by the organization administrator. Failed login attempts, security problems etc., are also written and available for system ambassador to written report later. Hence, by maintaining a log file to record organisation events, effective monitoring and preventive actions can be taken in Linux.

Log files contain messages about the system, kernel, services and applications running on it. There are different types of log files available for different kind of information. Most of the log files are located in /var/log directory.

Fig ii: Case – /var/log files

The post-obit list contains various types of log files and what they contain.

1. /var/log/messages	General message and organisation related stuff
2. /var/log/auth.log	Authentication logs
3. /var/log/kern.log	Kernel logs
4. /var/log/qmail/	Qmail log directory (more files inside this directory)
5. /var/log/yum.log	Yum command log file.
six. /var/log/mysqld.log	MySQL database server log file
vii. /var/log/lighttpd/	Lighttpd access and error logs directory
eight. /var/log/maillog	Mail server logs
9. /var/log/cron.log	Crond logs (cron chore)
10. /var/log/httpd/	Apache access and error logs directory
11. /var/log/boot.log	Arrangement boot log
12. /var/log/secure or /var/log/auth.log	Authentication log
thirteen. /var/log/utmp or /var/log/wtmp	Login records file

We tin can monitor all kind of above mentioned logs using their respective log files and this monitoring helps in improving the security better.

SELinux

SELinux is a security enhancement to Linux which allows users and administrators have more than command over file access. It provides a flexible mandatory access command (MAC) system built into the Linux Kernel. Any process or application that is currently running as a user, has permissions to access objects such equally files, sockets etc.

In general, when a file is created by a person he will have read, write permissions and he tin grant access to users and groups or change the owner of the file. This may leave critical files exposed to users who doesn't require the access at all. Arrangement administrator cannot enforce security to every file in the system.

Considering another scenario where a developer is executing files from home directory and may view log files. They may use sudo or su commands where it puts system files under risk. To avoid this, SELinux comes into play, where admission command requirements tin be fine-tuned. With this, organization administrator can define what a procedure or user should do. Hence SELinux takes Linux to next level of security making it more than secure.

In conclusion, system administrators should decide on how strict the policies should be for their server environment. MAC kernel helps in protecting system from the applications that could cause impairment to the system. This is a adjacent level of security in Linux.

Conclusion

Security is a very fast and evolving topic! Given the fact that Linux is an Open up Source and many "eye-assurance" are watching it, many of the security issues are taken intendance past releasing frequent patches. Added go that there are some Os design level aspects like memory management, user / kernel memory space separation, virtual memory, log management, file access control makes it all the more secure when it comes to security.

Even so, Linux systems are not certainly flawless, no operating system is. Using Linux tin can reduces the chances of security alienation. What makes an Operating Organisation secure is purely based on how the OS is used. Linux in wrong easily may lead to security alienation. User's choice matters the more than in making Linux a secure Os, whatever the flavor may exist!

Happy Learning!!