this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2025
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Linux security (feddit.dk)
submitted 6 days ago by UheldigeBenny@feddit.dk to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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Hi there,

Win10 is soon not supported. Tbh Linux have been on my radar since I started to break from the US big tech.

But how is security handled in Linux? Linux is pretty open-source, or am I not understanding it correctly. So how can I as a new user make sure to have the most secure machine as possible?

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[–] the16bitgamer@programming.dev -5 points 5 days ago (6 children)

From a windows perspective Linux does 2 things differently which makes it more secure to Windows.

  1. Like MacOS it doesn’t need antivirus software like Norton. Windows needs antivirus because DOS the OS windows is based on, had it where any program had access to anything. This is still sadly true even on Windows 11. Linux is Sandboxed, where instead of giving the program full access to everything, you just give it a sandbox with what it needs.

Unless you deliberately run a program as the admin of Linux (su or sudo), malicious code can just delete system32.

  1. Linux’s is open source and while the desktop market share is tiny, there are a massive market in servers. As a result since there are a lot of eyes on the project if/when problems are found they are fixed quickly. I remember a time when a malicious actor was trying to add a backdoor into a library as a blob and it was caught.

Windows on the other hand is closed source, meaning if MS can’t find the issue, the only time it is found is when it’s in the field. To avoid downtime MS offers bug bounty programs for those who can find issues, rather than to let them exploit it.

[–] ramenu@lemmy.ml 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Windows isn't based on DOS, though. It hasn't been for a very long time. Linux isn't sandboxed. Userspace applications can be sandboxed. There's a difference.

[–] the16bitgamer@programming.dev -1 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Yes modern Windows is based on the NT Kernal. However to keep with compatibility with older programs, NT needs to be compatible with DOS. For most people they never saw the transition from DOS to NT, since it was quietly done with Win XP.

[–] Krudler@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago

Dude you really have no idea what you're talking about.

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 days ago

NT even "back in the day" was very much NOT compatible with DOS.

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