harm from the internet

[hill0093]

I did use ubuntu in the past, but our office uses Windows.
I find that recently my windows operating system gets a lot of harm from the internet.
How does ubuntu compare with windows 7 and with apple with respect to internet harm?

[BBQdave]

How does ubuntu compare with windows 7 and with apple with respect to internet harm?

At Ubuntu's core is Linux, which is less targeted than Windows or osX. Linux distro's use secure repos to provide updates and software. As a user in Linux, a strong password goes a long way in protecting your system. And with any system, as an User, not loading suspicious software - from untrusted sources - helps protect you.

Put bluntly: Windows is a vulnerable system, with mainly a re-active approach to security. osX is fairly secure, but is vulnerable by users loading untrusted games and apps.

Linux is a well hardened system, which you can strengthen with a strong password - and updating and loading applications from the Linux distro's trusted repos.

[newb85]

Ubuntu/Gnu/Linux is by design safer than Windows. Unlike in Windows, simply clicking the wrong thing while browsing the web or reading an email won't infect your system. There are, of course, things you could do to make yourself more vulnerable, though, like doing everything as root, installing from untrustworthy PPAs, or copying and pasting terminal commands with no idea what your're doing.

[oldos2er]

Please read the stickies at the top of the Security Discussions forum: http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=338