On Mon, 30 Jul 2001 17:14:46 -0700, Steve Dirickson (Volt) <a-
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>> We were grateful that our firewall was UNIX and not NT or Windows 2000
>> based.
>
>Pardon a stupid question, but what difference does the platform make?

Basically, resilliance to attacks.  Unix systems have had far more "field
experience" than Microsoft products AND the Unix community has devoted a
considerable effort to closing any known/reported "problems".  Microsoft,
OTOH, has yet to demonstrate a similar level of responsiveness.  The end
result is that while the Unix firewall "held up" under attack (i.e., it did
not affect other processes on the box), there is a very high likelihood
that a similar attack on Microsoft products will either crash the system
or "break through" and affect internal traffic.  If the firewall provides
other services (such as file or print sharing), the loss of those services
while the system is being rebooted could be intolerable.

Of course, the root cause of this situation could be placed on Microsoft's
marketing as well -- Microsoft's markteing pushes their products as
suitable for office environments WITHOUT the need for a well-trained system
admin(*).  "untrained" system admins rarely, if ever, keep systems up to
date (especially in respect to "security patches").  'Those that would do
you harm' [the "negative" connotation of hacker/cracker] know this is
typically the case and devise attacks against Microsoft products [and most
likely originate these attacks from Unix systems...]

Of course, when you stand back and look at it, both "converses" are true: a
poorly-maintained Unix system is as vulnerable as a "typical" windows
installation, while a well-maintained windows system is as invincible as a
current Unix system.  (or the original quote could emphasize the original
poster's level of knowledge of Unix-vs.-windows systems -- in any case,
it's getting late for a monday and this is drifting off-topic unless
someone can point out how an HP might be adversly affected by "code red"
running rampant through an intrAnet...)

Tom

(*) remember ZAK, the "Zero" Adminstration (tool)Kit?

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