20.1. Is Linux secure?
No, Linux is not secure. Nor is any other operating system that communicates on a network. If you must have absolute, total, unbreachable security, then you need a measurable air gap[2] between your computer and any other device. Some people argue that you also need to enclose your computer in a special room that blocks electromagnetic radiation. (Google for “Faraday cage.”) How fun is that?
You can work to make your system somewhat more resistant to attack. Even so, several fundamental flaws in the Linux model ensure that you will never reach security nirvana:
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Like UNIX, Linux is optimized for convenience and doesn’t make security easy or natural. The Linux philosophy stresses easy manipulation of data in a ...
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