Operating Systems Security
From Computing and Software Wiki
(Security analysis of the most common operating systems) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| - | The security of operating systems has always been a concern for users, and especially so with the invention of the Internet. Operating system developers are constantly creating new ways of protecting computers from hackers. The three most common operating systems are Linux, Mac OS and Windows. They each have a different set of security features, but the question is, which is the most secure as of the | + | The security of operating systems has always been a concern for users, and especially so with the invention of the Internet. Operating system developers are constantly creating new ways of protecting computers from hackers. The three most common operating systems are Linux, Mac OS and Windows. They each have a different set of security features, but the question is, which is the most secure operating system? |
| + | |||
| + | ===Hacking=== | ||
| + | Hacking is the act of manipulating computers to get them to do exactly what you want. A hacker is the person who does the hacking. A hacker is generally defined as someone who is very good with computers and programming. However, in popular culture, a hacker is someone who attempts to break into computer systems. For the purposes of this article, the latter definition will be used. | ||
| + | Hacking is done for many reasons, including anything from theft and denial of service to someone hacking because they have a psychological need to do it. It is therefore vital for an operating system to be as secure as possible to protect against them. | ||
| + | ==Techniques== | ||
| + | There are many ways a hacker can attack a system. Some of these include exploits, which take advantage of faulty operating systems coding, or Trojan horses, which are programs that seem to provide one function but actually do something completely different. To get a full understanding of hacking, visit the hacking wiki at Wikipedia. | ||
| + | ===Common Operating Systems=== | ||
Revision as of 20:26, 1 December 2007
The security of operating systems has always been a concern for users, and especially so with the invention of the Internet. Operating system developers are constantly creating new ways of protecting computers from hackers. The three most common operating systems are Linux, Mac OS and Windows. They each have a different set of security features, but the question is, which is the most secure operating system?
Hacking
Hacking is the act of manipulating computers to get them to do exactly what you want. A hacker is the person who does the hacking. A hacker is generally defined as someone who is very good with computers and programming. However, in popular culture, a hacker is someone who attempts to break into computer systems. For the purposes of this article, the latter definition will be used. Hacking is done for many reasons, including anything from theft and denial of service to someone hacking because they have a psychological need to do it. It is therefore vital for an operating system to be as secure as possible to protect against them.
Techniques
There are many ways a hacker can attack a system. Some of these include exploits, which take advantage of faulty operating systems coding, or Trojan horses, which are programs that seem to provide one function but actually do something completely different. To get a full understanding of hacking, visit the hacking wiki at Wikipedia.
